7 


LABOR   TURNOVER 
IN   INDUSTRY- 

<^/f  Statistical  Analysis 


BY 

PAUL  FREDERICK  BRISSENDEN 

ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR  IN  COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 
AND 

EMIL  FRANKEL 

FORMERLY  SPECIAL  AGENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 
DEPARTMENT  OF  LABOR 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1922 

All  rights  reserved 


'PRINT.  ED  IN   THE  UNITED  STATES  OP   AMEEICA 


-8* 


COPYRIGHT,  1922, 
BY  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 


Set  up  and  eloctrotyped.    Published,  October,  1922 


Press  of 

J.  J.  Little  &  Ives  Company 
New  York 


TO 

THE    UNITED    STATES    BUREAU    OF 
LABOR    STATISTICS 


494 


PREFACE 

THE  figures  which  constitute  the  basis  for  the  statistical 
analysis  presented  in  these  pages  were  collected  for  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  by  the  authors  and  other 
members  of  the  Bureau's  staff.  A  large  part  of  the  material 
thus  collected  already  has  been  utilized  in  various  articles  pub- 
lished in  the  Bureau's  Monthly  Labor  Review.  The  Bureau  of 
Labor  Statistics,  however,  is  responsible  neither  for  the  opinions 
herein  expressed  by  the  authors  nor  for  the  statistical  treatment 
its  original  figures  have  received  at  their  hands. 

The  authors  desire  to  express  their  appreciation  of  the  help 
they  have  received  from  Dr.  Royal  Meeker,  formerly  Com- 
missioner of  Labor  Statistics  and  now  editor  of  the  International 
Labour  Review,  and  from  Mr.  Lucian  W.  Chaney,  of  the  star! 
of  the  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics.  Mr.  Ethelbert  Stewart,  now 
Commissioner  of  Labor  Statistics,  was  in  general  charge  of  the 
field  work  of  the  Bureau's  investigation  of  labor  turnover. 
Working  with  the  authors  under  his  direction  were  Messrs. 
Boris  Emmet,  William  F.  Kirk,  and  Irving  Winslow.  To  them 
and  to  Mr.  Stewart  the  authors  are  very  much  indebted  and 
they  wish  to  take  this  opportunity  to  express  their  appreciation. 
Although  they  are  too  numerous  to  mention  by  name,  the  authors 
desire  to  express  their  deep  sense  of  obligation  to  the  hundreds 
of  employment  managers,  factory  superintendents,  and  business 
executives  who  cheerfully  put  themselves  to  great  inconvenience 
in  order  to  furnish  the  necessary  information.  The  authors 
earnestly  hope  that  this  analysis  of  the  figures  they  so  kindly 
furnished  may  be  of  use  to  some  of  them. 

To  the  Academy  of  Political  Science  at  Columbia  University, 
the  Ronald  Press  Company,  and  the  University  of  Chicago  Press, 
the  authors  desire  to  extend  thanks  for  permission  to  reprint 
material  originally  published  in  the  Political  Science  Quarterly, 
Administration ,  and  the  Journal  of  Political  Economy. 

vii 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  INTRODUCTION 1-6 

1    i.  Nature  and  significance  of  labor  mobility. 

2.  Scope  and  limitations  of  the  basic  data. 

II.  DEFINITION  AND  MEASUREMENT  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY     7-28 

. 

i.  The  base  in  "turnover"  computation. 

(a)  The  pay  roll  as  base. 

(b)  Average  daily  work  force 

(c)  Labor  hours. 

a.  Labor  change  rates. 

3.  The  definition  of  terms, 
(a)  The  variables. 

(6)  The  base  or  standard  of  measurement. 

4.  The  method  of  computation. 

5.  Relation  between  different  methods  of  computation. 

III.  PERSONNEL  POLICY  AND  LABOR  STABILITY  ....      29-33 

IV.  GENERAL  EXTENT  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY    ....      34-60 

1.  Labor  mobility  and  industrial  conditions. 

2.  Extent  of  mobility  in  the  zo-year  period  ending  Dec.  31, 

1919. 

3.  Probable  amount  of  labor  shifting  in  the  United  States. 

4.  Necessary  and  unnecessary  labor  changes. 

5.  Labor  mobility  in  certain  localities. 

6.  Labor  mobility  in  different  industry  groups. 

7.  Relation  between  size  of  establishment  and  labor  mobility. 

8.  Analysis  of  accessions.  ; 

V.  LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS  AND  IN  SPECIAL 

GROUPS  WITHIN  THE  WORK  FORCE        .       .       .       .         6l~77 

1.  Labor  mobility  in  individual  establishments. 

2.  Mobility  of  male  and  female  employees. 

3.  Day  and  night  force. 

4.  Skilled  and  unskilled  employees. 

5.  Occupational  incidence  of  labor  mobility. 

is 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

VI.  TYPES  OF  SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER     78-102 

1.  Types  of  separation. 

2.  Industry  groups  and  type  of  separation. 

3.  Relation  between  skill  and  type  of  separation. 

4.  Type  of  separation  and  size  of  establishment. 
•&  5.  Some  causes  for  instability. 

VII.  SEASONAL  INFLUENCES  ON  LABOR  SHIFTING  .     .     .  103-114 

1.  Seasonal  fluctuations  in  individual  establishments. 

2.  Seasonal  changes  in  different  occupations. 

3.  Normal  seasonal  changes  in  stability. 

\        VIII.  LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  AS  A  FACTOR  IN  LABOR  MOBILITY     115-141 

1.  Job  tenure  in  different  industry  groups. 

2.  Comparative  service  stability  of  males  and  females. 

3.  Length  of  service  of  skilled  and  unskilled  employees. 

4.  Length  of  service  of  casual  laborers. 

5.  Length  of  service  in  different  plant  departments. 

6.  Average  weekly  service  rates. 

7.  Length  of  service  and  type  of  separation. 

IX.  STABLE  AND  UNSTABLE  EMPLOYEES 142-153 

1.  "Active  employees"  with  service  records  of  less  than  one  year 

(unstable  employees)  and  over  one  year  (stable  employees). 

2.  Responsibility  for  labor  mobility  of  the  unstable  employees. 

3.  The  labor  flux  of  unstable  working  forces  in  individual  estab- 

lishments. 

4.  Labor  mobility  of  the  unstable  work  force  compared  with 

the  total  work  force. 

X.  RELATIVE  RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  INSTABILITY  OF  DIF- 
FERENT LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  GROUPS     .     .     .     154-162 

1.  Analysis  based  on  allocation  of  labor  hours  to  length  of 

service  groups. 

2.  Frequency  of  job  replacement  in  different  length  of  service 

groups. 

XL  EMPLOYMENT  RECORDS 163-169 

1.  Labor  mobility  records. 

2.  Records  of  labor  absenteeism. 

APPENDIX.  BASIC  TABLES 172-211 

JND.EX.       .,.,.,,,,,.,...     213-215 


INDEX    OF   TABLES 


CHAPTER  H.    THE  DEFINITION  AND  MEASUREMENT  OF 
LABOR  MOBILITY 

TABLE  i.  Difference  between  pay-roll  numbers  and  number  of  equivalent 

full-time  workers 10 

TABLE  2.  Trend  of  labor  flux,  accession,  classified  separation,  and  replace- 
ment rates  in  a  metal-products  manufacturing  plant  (No.  42- 
.  182)  by  months,  from  1912  to  1919.  (Charts  A  and  E)  .  16-17 

TABLE  3.  Labor  mobility  in  an  automobile  manufacturing  plant  (No.  48- 
194),  showing  flux,  accession,  separation,  replacement,  and 
labor  increase  and  decrease  rates  for  1917  and  1919  ...  25 

TABLE    4.  Comparison  of  three  methods  of  measuring  labor  mobility     .     .       26 

CHAPTER  III.    PERSONNEL  POLICY  AND  LABOR  STABILITY 

TABLE  5.  Labor  flux  rates  in  10  selected  establishments,  by  years  from  1913- 

19,  inclusive 32-33 

TABLE  6.  Comparison  of  labor  mobility  in  10  selected  establishments  with 
its  mobility  in  all  other  establishments  reporting  for  the  years 
1913-19,  inclusive.  (Chart  B)  32-33 

CHAPTER  IV.    GENERAL  EXTENT  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY 

TABLE    7.  Labor  mobility  by  years,  1910-19.     (Chart  C) 36 

TABLE    8.  Necessary  and  unnecessary  labor  changes,  by  years,  1910-19, 

inclusive 44~45 

TABLE    9.  Labor  mobility  in  specified  cities,  1913-14  and  1917-18    ...      47 
TABLE  10.  Labor  mobility  in  specified  industry  groups,  1913-14  and  1917-18. 

(Chart  D) .     50-53 

TABLE  n.  Relation  between  size  of  establishment  and  labor  stability,  1913- 

14  and  1917-18 55 

TABLE  12.  Number  of  employees  leaving  service  within  12  months  of  when 

they  are  hired,  by  industry  groups,  year  ending  May  31,  1918.      56 
TABLE  13.  Number  of  employees  hired  by  same  establishment  specified 

number  of  tunes 58 

TABLE  14.  Number  of  employees  on  pay  roll  of  three  establishments  who  had 

been  hired  specified  number  of  times,  classified  according  to  the 

length  of  time  within  which  the  hirings  and  rehirings  took 

place,  1915 59 

CHAPTER  V.    LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS 
AND  IN  SPECIAL  GROUPS  WITHIN  THE  WORK  FORCE 

TABLE  15.  Number  and  per  cent  distribution  of  establishments  having  classi- 
fied labor  mobility  rates,  1913-14  and  1917-18  63 

TABLE  16.  Labor  mobility  of  20  identical  establishments  reporting  in  1913- 

14  and  1917-18 64-65 

xi 


xu 


INDEX  OF  TABLES 


PAGE 

TABLE  17.  Labor  mobility  by  sex  and  industry  groups,  1917-18   .     .     .      66-69 
TABLE  18.  Labor  mobility  of  day  and  night  forces  in  a  machine-tool  manu- 

facturing establishment  (No.  35-144),  by  years,  1916-19       .       71 
TABLE  19.  Labor  mobility  of  skilled  and  unskilled  workers,  1913-15  and 


................       73 

TABLE  20.  Labor  mobility  in  a  car-building  plant  (Establishment  No.  102) 

by  occupations,  for  year  ending  May  31,  1918    ....       76-7: 

CHAPTER  VI.  TYPES  OF  SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF 
TURNOVER 

TABLE  21.  Type  of  separation  (discharge,  lay-off  or  voluntary  quitting)  of 
employees  leaving,  by  years  from  1910  to  1915,  inclusive,  and 
for  the  i2-month  period  ending  May  31,  1918  .  .  .  .  80-8  1 

TABLE  22.  Number  of  establishments  in  which  classified  proportions  of  the 
total  separations  are  attributable,  respectively,  to  discharge, 
lay-off,  entry  into  military  service  and  voluntary  quitting, 
1913-14  and  1917-18  ............  85 

TABLE  23.  Type  of  separation  (discharge,  lay-off  or  voluntary  quitting)  of 

employees  leaving,  by  industry  groups,  1913-14  and  1917-18  86-89 

TABLE  24.  Comparison  of  separation  rates  of  skilled  and  unskilled  employees 

leaving  voluntarily,  discharged  and  laid  off,  1913-15  ...  91 

TABLE  25.  Relation  between  size  of  establishment  and  type  of  separation 
(discharge,  lay-off,  entry  into  military  service  and  voluntary 
quitting),  1913-14  and  1917-18  ........  92-93 

TABLE  26.  Reasons  advanced  for  voluntary  separation  from  service  of  8140 
employees  and  causes  for  discharge  of  1439  employees,  in  six 
metal-trades  establishments  .......  ...  96 

TABLE  27.  Reasons  advanced  for  voluntary  separation  from  service  of  13,664 
employees  and  causes  for  discharge  of  2849  employees,  during 
1917,  in  a  mail-order  house  (Establishment  No.  27-109)  .  .  99 

TABLE  28.  Number,  per  cent  distribution  and  rate  per  full-year  worker  of 
employees  hired  and  rehired  and  of  those  leaving  for  specified 
reasons.  A  department  store  (Establishment  No.  271)  .  .  101 

CHAPTER  VII.   SEASONAL  INFLUENCES  ON  LABOR  SHIFTING 

TABLE  29.  Labor  flux  rates  by  months  from  January,  1910,  to  December, 

1919,  inclusive.  (Chart  F)  ...........  104 

TABLE  30.  Labor  flux  rates  of  day  and  night  forces  of  a  machine-tool  manu- 

facturing plant  (Establishment  ^.35-144),  by  months,  1916-19  107 

TABLE  31.  Labor  flux  rates  for  each  month  in  selected  occupations  in  a  car- 
building  plant  (Establishment  No.  102),  for  the  year  ending 
May  31,  1918  .............  108-109 

TABLE  32.  Monthly  trend  in  labor  mobility.     (Chart  G)  ......     in 

TABLE  33.  Extent  of  labor  mobility  in  the  four  seasons  of  the  year     ...     113 

CHAPTER  VIII.    LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  AS  A  FACTOR  IN 
LABOR  MOBILITY 

TABLE  34.  Length  of  service  distribution  of  "active  employees"  (i.e.,  those 
on  pay  roll  at  end  of  year)  and  of  employees  who  left  during 
the  year  ("separating  employees"),  1913-14  and  1917-18  .  .  117 


INDEX  OF  TABLES 


TABLE  35. 
TABLE  36. 

TABLE  37. 
TABLE  38. 

TABLE  39. 


xm 

PAGE 


Length  of  service  distribution  of  "active  employees"  (i.e.,  those 
on  pay  roll  at  end  of  year)  and  of  employees  who  left  during 
the  year  ("separating  employees"),  by  industry  groups,  1913- 
14  and  1917-18  (percentage  distribution)  .....  118-121 

Length  of  service  distribution  of  "active  employees"  (i.e.,  those 
on  pay  roll  at  end  of  year)  and  of  employees  who  left  during 
the  year  ("separating  employees"),  classified  according  to  sex, 
1917-18.  (Chart  H)  .......  .....  124 

Length  of  service  distribution  of  "active  employees"  (i.e.,  those 
on  pay  roll  at  end  of  year)  classified  according  to  sex,  1913-14 
and  1917-18  ...............  126 

Length  of  service  distribution  of  "active  employees"  (i.e.,  those 
on  pay  roll  at  end  of  year)  and  of  employees  who  left  during  the 
year  ("separating  employees"),  by  sex  and  industry  group, 
1917-18.  (Percentage  distribution)  ......  128-131 

Length  of  service  distribution  of  "active  employees"  (i.e.,  those 
on  pay  roll  at  end  of  year)  and  of  employees  who  left  during  the 
year  ("separating  employees"),  classified  according  to  skill, 


132 


TABLE  40. 
TABLE  41. 


Length  of  service  records  of  78  unskilled  male  laborers  hired  on 
or  since  July  i,  1918,  but  not  on  pay  roll  October,  1918,  in  a 
printing  and  publishing  concern.  (Establishment  No.  151)  135-136 

Length  of  service  distribution  of  "active  employees"  (i.e.,  those 
on  pay  roll  at  end  of  year),  and  of  employees  who  left  during 
the  year  ("separating  employees"),  in  a  men's  clothing  manu- 
facturing plant.  (Establishment  No.  103),  1917-18  . 
TABLE  42.  Number,  per  cent  distribution,  and  corrected  separation  rates  of 
employees  quitting,  laid  off,  and  discharged  during  one  year  . 


137 


140 


CHAPTER  IX.    STABLE  AND  UNSTABLE  EMPLOYEES 


TABLE  43.  Number  and  per  cent  distributions  of  "active  employees"  who 
had  served  one  year  or  less  and  over  one  year,  respectively,  in 
specified  industry  groups,  1917-18.  (Chart  I) 143 

TABLE  44.  Comparison  of  labor  mobility  rates  based  on  the  total  working 
force  with  rates  based  on  the  unstable  part  of  the  working  force 
in  specified  industry  groups,  year  ending  May  31,  1918. 
(Chart  J)  146-147 

TABLE  45.  Number  of  establishments  having  classified  labor  flux  rates  based, 
(i)  on  the  whole  working  force,  and  (2)  on  the  unstable  part  of 
working  force,  year  ending  May  31,  1918 150 

TABLE  46.  Comparison  of  labor  mobility  rates  based  on  the  total  working 
force  with  rates  based  on  the  unstable  part  of  the  working 
force,  classified  according  to  the  relative  size  of  the  unstable 
part  of  the  working  force,  1917-18 152-153 

CHAPTER   X.    RELATIVE   RESPONSIBILITY   FOR   INSTABILITY 
OF  DIFFERENT  LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  GROUPS 

TABLE  47.  Separation  rates  in  specified  length  of  service  groups.  (Based 
on  allocation  of  the  total  labor  hours  among  the  different  length 
of  service  groups),  1913-14  and  1917-18  155 

TABLE  48.  Separation  rates  in  specified  industry  groups,  classified  according 
to  length  of  service.  (Based  on  allocation  of  the  total  labor 
hours  among  the  different  length  of  service  groups),  1917-18  156-15 7 


XIV 


INDEX  OF  TABLES  AND  CHARTS 


TABLE  49.  Separation  rates  in  specified  length  of  service  groups  of  skilled 
and  unskilled  workers.  (Based  on  allocation  of  the  total  labor 
hours  among  the  different  length  of  service  groups),  1913-15  .  158 

TABLE  50.  Relative  frequency  of  job  replacement  in  specified  length  of  service 

groups,  1917-18  159 

APPENDIX 

TABLE  A.  Labor  mobility  in  individual  establishments  and  specified  cities, 

1913-14  and  1917-18 172-187 

TABLE  B.  Type  of  separation  (discharge,  lay-off,  entry  into  military  service 
or  quitting)  in  individual  establishments  and  specified  cities, 
1913-14  and  1917-18 190-203 

TABLE  C.  Number  and  per  cent  of  employees  in  the  unstable  part  of  the 
working  force,  number  in  continuous  service  over  one  year,  and 
number  of  accessions  and  separations,  in  individual  establish- 
ments and  specified  cities,  1917-18 204-207 

TABLE  D.  Labor  mobility  by  months,  from  January,  1910,  to  December,  1919, 

inclusive.  (Chart  F) 208-211 


INDEX  OF   CHARTS 

CHART  A.  Trend  of  labor  change  rates  in  a  metal-products  manufacturing 

plant  (Establishment  No.  42-182),  1912-19  (Table  2)  .  .  19 

CHART  B.  Comparison  of  the  trend  of  labor  mobility  in  10  selected  estab- 
lishments with  the  mobility  in  all  other  establishments  report- 
ing, 1913-19,  inclusive.  (Table  6) 31 

CHART  C.    Labor  mobility  rates,  by  years,  1910-19.     (Table  7)   ....      39 

CHART  D.  Labor  flux  rates  in  specified  industry  groups,  1913-14  and  1917- 

18.  (Table  10) 49 

CHART  E.  Trend  of  classified  separation  rates  from  January,  1912,  to  April, 
1919;  annual  totals  plotted  by  overlapping  12 -month  periods 
(a  metal-products  manufacturing  plant.  Establishment  No. 
42-182).  (Table  2) 83 

CHART  F.  Fluctuations  in  labor  mobility  by  months,  from  January,  1910,  to 

December,  1919.  (Table  29;  Table  D) 105 

CHART  G.  Monthly  trend  in  labor  mobility,  identical  months,  1910-19, 

combined.  (Table  32) 112 

CHART  H.  Length  of  service  distribution  of  "active  employees"  (i.e.,  those 
on  pay  roll  at  end  of  year)  and  of  employees  who  left  during 
the  year  ("separating  employees"),  classified  according  to  sex, 
1917-18.  (Table  36) 125 

CHART  I.  Per  cent  of  "active  employees"  who  had  served  one  year  or  less, 
and  over  one  year,  respectively,  in  specified  industry  groups. 
(Table  43) 144 

CHART  J.  Comparison  of  labor  flux  rates  based  on  the  total  working  force 
with  rates  based  on  the  unstable  part  of  the  working  force  in 
specified  industry  groups,  1917-18.  (Table  44)  ....  148 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


LABOR   TURNOVER   IN 
INDUSTRY 

CHAPTER  I.    INTRODUCTION 

NATURE  AND   SIGNIFICANCE  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY 

THE  difficulty  of  maintaining  a  stable  work  force  in  industrial 
establishments  has  directed  attention  to  the  problem  of  labor 
instability,  —  a  phenomenon  observable  in  a  particularly  inten- 
sified form  in  times  of  prosperity,  but  found  in  only  slightly  less 
serious  form  even  in  periods  of  depression.  Labor  instability  is 
regarded  by  all  those  who  have  given  any  serious  consideration 
to  the  problem  as  one  of  the  maladjustments  of  our  industrial 
life,  wasteful  and  destructive  of  the  potential  man-power  of  the 
nation  and  a  serious  obstacle  to  the  complete  utilization  of  the 
country's  productive  forces.  In  tackling  this  problem  it  should 
be  recognized  at  the  outset  that  within  certain  limits  establish- 
ment labor  mobility  is  a  normal  and  necessary  thing.  A  certain 
amount  of  shifting  from  shop  to  shop  and  city  to  city  is  quite 
normal  and  even  desirable;  part  of  this  necessary  movement  of 
labor  is  an  entirely  natural  ebb  and  flow  resulting  from  the  normal 
expansion  and  contraction  of  industrial  activity.  Interest  in  theN 
question  of  labor  mobility  is  centered,  therefore,  not  only  upon 
its  general  extent  but  more  specifically  upon  whatever  part  of  it 
may  be  considered  abnormal  and  unnecessary.  When  it  is 
considered  from  this  standpoint  it  is  essential  to  know  (i)  the 
nature  and  extent  of  labor  instability,  (2)  the  various  factors 
which  are  likely  to  increase  or  diminish  its  volume,  and  (3) 
whether  any  employment  methods  have  been  or  can  be  devised 
which  will  make  it  possible  to  reduce  labor  instability  to  such  an 
extent  that  maximum  production  may  be  attained  at  minimum 
cost  and  to  the  mutual  advantage  of  employer  and  employee. 


2  LABOR   TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 

In  order  to  give  really  adequate  consideration  to  the  various 
problems  involved  in  labor  instability  as  it  affects  different  in- 
dustries in  the  United  States,  and  more  particularly  to  devise 
methods  for  its  reduction,  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  more 
detailed  and  extensive  data  than  hitherto  have  been  available. 
Fortunately,  during  the  last  decade  a  number  of  progressive 
firms  have  given  rather  close  study  to  the  whole  problem  of 
labor  instability.  These  concerns  have  made  extensive  experi- 
ments in  labor  management  with  a  view  to  stabilizing  the  work 
force  and  have  achieved  a  measure  of  success.  It  is  these  firms, 
especially,  that  have  accumulated  records  sufficiently  extensive 
to  show  both  the  magnitude  and  the  intricacies  of  the  problem. 
These  records,  moreover,  will  permit  of  a  test  of  the  effective- 
ness of  certain  labor  policies  and  methods  of  employment.  It  is 
upon  data  from  such  establishments  that  this  study  is  very 
largely  based. 

Labor  instability  is  generally  the  consequence  of  (i)  seasonal, 
cyclical,  and  other  fluctuations  in  industrial  activity  which  result 
in  varying  amounts  of  employment  available  to  the  job  seeker; 
2)  individual  or  collective  dissatisfaction  with  the  conditions  of 
employment;  and  (3)  the  dissatisfaction  of  employers  with  the 
services  of  some  employees.  In  its  relation  to  employer  and  em- 
ployee this  problem  of  labor  instability  becomes  a  more  or  less 
personal  one  and  presents  itself  essentially  in  two  aspects,  depend- 
ing upon  whether  it  is  the  employee  or  employer  who  is  concerned, 
(i)  To  the  individual  workman  job  changing  may  mean  either 
gain  or  loss.  In  prosperous  times,  when  there  are  more  numerous 
and  attractive  job  opportunities,  the  change  of  jobs  may  repre- 
sent an  actual  gain  to  the  worker.  Even  if  there  is  nothing 
gained,  it  could  scarcely  involve  a  loss,  because  in  a  rising  labor 
market  jobs  are  likely  to  be  actually  awaiting  the  separating 
employee,  and  even  at  the  worst,  the  period  of  unemployment 
between  jobs  is  likely  to  be  relatively  short.  In  periods  of  depres- 
sion the  establishment  labor  mobility  problem  is,  for  the  indi- 
vidual employee,  a  problem  of  unemployment  and  irregular 


'<' 


INTRODUCTION  3 

employment,  the  employee  becoming  the  unwilling  sufferer  from 
the  instability  and  less  commonly  the  willing  cause  of  iy  (2) 
The  individual  employer,  however,  is  chiefly  interested  in  the 
maintenance  of  a  stable  working  force  and  regards  excessively 
numerous  terminations  of  employment  and,  especially,  voluntary 
and  more  or  less  avoidable  separations  as  a  serious  obstacle  to 
efficient  and  continuous  operation.  He  is  also  very  much  con- 
cerned with  the  enormous  expense  to  which  he  is  put  because  of 
the  excessive  labor  replacement  (or,  to  use  a  phrase  which  has 
gained  currency  in  industrial  circles,  —  the  labor  turnover)  re- 
quired for  the  maintenance  of  his  normal  work  force. 

In  the  following  pages  the  problem  of  labor  instability  is  con- 
sidered primarily  from  the  standpoint  of  the  individual  establish- 
ment. This  is  done,  not  because  labor  mobility  from  the  indi- 
vidual workman's  standpoint  is  less  deserving  of  consideration, 
but  solely  because,  as  has  been  explained,  the  data  necessary  to 
the  study  of  this  subject  were  readily  available  only  from  me 
records  of  those  establishments  which  have  made  serious  attempts 
to  cope  with  the  problem  of  instability.  Looked  at  from  the 
standpoint  of  the  individual  employer  it  becomes  a  matter  of  the 
first  importance  to  consider  the  question:  How  are  we  to  know 
when  an  establishment's  labor  instability  becomes  excessive? 
In  other  words,  how  are  we  to  know  where  to  draw  the  line  be- 
tween abnormal  and  avoidable  labor  changes  and  those  changes 
which  are  due  to  purely  external  causes  inherent  in  the  industrial 
situation,  —  causes  over  which  the  employer  cannot  exercise 
any  effective  control?  Labor  instability  may  be  regarded  as 
excessive  and  as  pointing  to  maladjustment  or  mismanagement 
when  its  volume  is  in  any  considerable  excess  over  its  volume  in 
the  more  progressive  concerns  which  have  considerably  reduced 
it,  and  more  especially  when  its  volume  is  in  excess  of  that  com- 
mon to  its  particular  industry  in  the  same  locality  at  any  given 
tune.  Conversely,  those  firms  which  have  a  considerably  higher 
stability  record  than  commonly  prevails  in  the  industry  are 
generally  those  which  have  successfully  worked  out  certain 


4  LABOR   TURNOVER  IN   INDUSTRY 

definite  labor  and  employment  policies,  as  is  indicated  by  figures 
presented  in  a  later  chapter. 

As  already  intimated,  a  degree  of  instability  which  is  common 
and  perhaps  quite  normal  and  necessary  for  one  industry  would 
be  excessive  for  another.  However,  if  two  establishments  in  the 
same  locality,  of  about  equal  size,  employing  about  the  same  type 
of  worker  and  engaged  in  turning  out  the  same  product,  differ 
widely  in  the  extent  of  their  labor  instability  during  identical 
periods  of  time,  this  difference  usually  indicates  that  the  concern 
whose  labor  turnover  is  normal  or  more  nearly  normal  is  either 
pursuing  a  more  advanced  labor  policy  or  that  labor  conditions 
(wages,  hours,  living  conditions,  etc.)  are  better  than  at  the  other 
establishment,  or  even  that  the  more  unstable  plant  is  less 
favorably  situated  in  respect  to  both  of  these  particulars.  Exces- 
sive labor  instability,  in  other  words,  is  very  likely  to  be  the 
result  of  labor  mismanagement,  low  wages,  insanitary  working 
conditions,  inferior  or  inadequate  housing  and  transportation 
facilities,  etc.,  or,  what  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  it  is  the  result 
of  the  heavy  loss  of  employees  to  competitors  whose  labor  policies 
are  more  enlightened,  who  pay  higher  wages,  and  who  provide 
more  attractive  working  conditions.  The  frequency  of  the  labor 
changes,  then,  is  a  valuable  index  to  the  extent  of  labor  unrest  in 
an  industrial  establishment  and  a  valuable  measure  of  the  effec- 
tiveness of  the  establishment's  labor  and  employment  policy. 

SCOPE  AND  LIMITATIONS  OF  THE  BASIC  DATA 

The  statistical  matter  presented  in  the  following  pages  is  based 
primarily  upon  information  secured  by  the  authors  and  other 
representatives  of  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics 
in  the  course  of  two  extensive  field  investigations  of  the  subject. 
The  first  of  these  was  a  pre-war  inquiry  made  in  1915  and  1916 
and  reporting  in  a  general  way  the  extent  of  the  turnover  during 
the  five-year  period  1910-1915,  and  in  more  detail  for  the  years 
1913  and  1914  both  the  extent  of  it  and  the  efforts  made  to  re- 
duce it.  The  second  was  a  war-time  investigation  made  in  1918, 


INTRODUCTION  § 

and  resulting  in  an  intensive  report  on  the  labor  mobility  situa- 
tion for  the  year  ending  May  31,  1918.  By  the  use  of  material 
secured  by  correspondence  some  of  the  data  from  these  field  in- 
vestigations have  been  brought  down  to  the  end  of  1919.  Re- 
turns from  the  two  inquiries  cover  upwards  of  260  establishments 
employing  over  500,000  workers  in  seventeen  of  the  most  impor- 
tant industrial  States.1 

It  is  not  claimed  that  the  figures  presented  are  necessarily 
and  in  all  cases  representative  of  American  industry  as  a  whole. 
It  is  realized  that  because  of  the  relatively  small  number  of 
establishments  used  in  this  study  the  various  mobility  rates 
shown  must  be  regarded  as  being  merely  indicative  of  the  general 

1  The  following  special  articles,  dealing  with  the  labor  turnover  situation  in 
different  cities  and  in  particular  plants  and  industry  groups  as  revealed  in  these 
investigations,  have  been  published  by  the  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  in  the 

Monthly  Labor  Review: 

Brissenden,  P.  F.  "Labor  turnover  in  the  San  Francisco  Bay  region"  (February, 
1919). 

"Labor  policies  and  labor  turnover  in  the  California  oil-refining 

industry"  (April,  1919). 

"Labor  turnover,  among  employees  of  a  California  copper  min- 

ing and  smelting  company"  (May,  1919). 

"Employment  policy  and  labor  stability  in  a  Pacific  Coast  de- 

partment store"  (November,  1919). 

"Employment  policies  and  labor  mobility  in  a  California  sugar 

refinery"  (December,  1919). 

and  Frankel,  Emil.    "  The  mobility  of  labor  in  American  indus- 

tries" (June,  1920).    An  official  summary  of  the  results  of  the 
Bureau's  labor  turnover  investigations. 
Emmet,  Boris.        "Labor  survey  of  the  Cleveland  cloak  industry"  (August,  1918). 

On  labor  turnover  and  length  of  service,  pp.  225-228. 
"Labor  turnove*  and  employment  policies  of  a  large  motor- 
vehicle  manufacturing  establishment"  (October,  1918). 
"Labor  turnover  in  Cleveland  and  Detroit"  (January,  1918). 
Frankel,  Emil.       "Freight  handlers  on  passenger-freight  steamers  on  the  Great 

Lakes"  (April,  1918). 

"Labor  turnover  of  seamen  on  the  Great  Lakes"  (June,  1918). 
"Labor  turnover  in  Cincinnati"  (March,  1919). 
"Labor  turnover  in  Chicago"  (September,  1919). 
Kirk,  William  F.   "Labor  turnover  in  Milwaukee"  (April,  1919). 


6  LABOR    TURNOVER  IN   INDUSTRY 

turnover  situation  at  any  given  time.  But  whatever  may  be  the 
limitations  of  the  figures  for  the  measurement  of  the  amount  of 
labor  mobility  at  any  particular  time,  it  is  believed  that  they 
vmay  be  used  with  entire  confidence  in  gauging  the  trend  in 
mobility  from  season  to  season  and  from  year  to  year. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  DEFINITION  AND  MEASUREMENT  or  LABOR  MOBILITY  1 

ANY  adequate  comparison  of  establishment  experience  in 
dealing  with  labor  instability  as  well  as  any  clear  presentation 
of  the  relative  extent  of  that  instability  in  different  plants  make 
a  uniform  use  of  terms  and  a  uniform  standard  of  measurement 
absolutely  necessary.  The  complex  problem  of  labor  instability 
cannot  adequately  be  discussed  or  clearly  presented  by  use  of 
a  phrase  of  such  necessarily  narrow  and  specialized  connotation 
as  "labor  turnover,"  which  has,  hitherto,  been  loosely  used  in 
reference  to  establishment  labor  instability  generally.  The  use 
of  the  word  " turnover'7  in  any  exact  sense  necessitates  the 
assignment  to  that  word  of  a  precise  and  definite  meaning.  This 
has,  so  far,  never  been  done.  Indeed,  the  different  ways  in  which 
the  phrase  "labor  turnover"  is  interpreted  and  applied  are 
distressingly  numerous.  The  phrase  should  obviously  be  identi- 
fied with  whichever  one  of  the  current  interpretations  appears 
to  have  the  greatest  practical  utility.  On  these  grounds  it  would 
seem  that  the  term  "labor  turnover"  oufiht  to  be  used  in  ojie 
sense,  and  one  only,  and  that  strictly  in  reference  to  the  extent 
of  shift  and,  replacement  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  the, 
workjojge.  This  aspect  of  the  matter  is  the  one  with  which 
employers  of  labor  are  most  intimately  concerned.  For  use  in 
reference  to  the  Ifirgfr  aspect  of  the  flow  of  labnr  intn  nnd-^H^-^f- 
mdustrial  establishments,  of  which,  labor  jturnover  orjabor  ie=. 
placement  is  only  one  phase,  a  more  inclusive  term  needsjtoJbe- 
used.  It  seems  that  the  ptirasc  "labor  mobility"  best  serves 
this  more  general  purpose  and  it  is  accordingly  so  used  in  these 

*  Parts  of  this  chapter  originally  appeared  in  somewhat  different  form  in  an 
on  '''The  Measurement  of  Labor  Mobility,"  $8  Journ.  Polit.  Econ.  441;- 
476  (Jura,  1920). 


8  LABOR    TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 

pages.  This  book  is  given  the  title  "  Labor  Turnover  "  because 
it  deals  chiefly  with  the  shifting  and  replacement  involved  in 
force  maintainance,  and  because,  on  the  whole,  that  expression 
seems  less  unsatisfactory  than  "labor  replacement."  * 

ACCESSIONS,   SEPARATIONS  AND  REPLACEMENTS 

To  make  it  easier  to  understand  the  method  of  measuring 
labor  change  in  this  study,  it  may  be  well  to  clear  the  ground 
by  briefly  referring  to  three  aspects  of  labor  mobility  with  which 
the  phrase  "  labor  turnover"  has  been  hitherto  closely  identified. 
These  are:  (i)  the  number  of  employees  hired  (accessions),  (2). 
the  number  leaving  (serjarations),  and  (3)  the  numbeToLreplace- 
ments2  required  to  keep  up  the  work  force.  The  United  State* 
Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  originally  used  the  replacements  as 
"turnover."3  Later  on  it  identified  separations  with  "  turnover  *' 
and  followed  that  method  for  a  time.4  Among  private  organiza- 
tions each  of  the  three  concepts  has  its  advocates.  It  is  evident 
that  neither  accessions,  separations,  nor  replacemejits,wheri  usgd 
y  interpret^  the  whole  labor  mobility 


nor  can  they  when  used  alone  adequately  take  into  account  the 
constantly  varying  factors  inherent  in  the  industrial  situation. 

1  Other  expressions  roughly  synonymous  with  "  labor  mobility  "  are  "  labor 
change  "  and  "  labor  shifting."     (See  p.  12.) 

2  That  is  to  say,  the  number  of  separating  employees  who  have  to  be  (and 
actually  are)  replaced. 

3  Street-railway  employment  in  the  United  States,  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics 
Bulletin  204,  pp.  193-203. 

4  See  articles  on  labor  turnover  in  the  Monthly  Labor  Review  for  October,  1918, 
and  January,  February,  and  March,  1919.    The  separations  method  is  the  one 
which  has  been  used  most  commonly.    It  has  been  authoritatively  expressed  in 
the  formula  adopted  by  the  National  Association  of  Employment  Managers,  which 
later  changed  its  name  to  the  Industrial  Relations  Association  of  America,  and 
which  has  now  become  the  National  Personnel  Association.     (Standard  definition 
of  labor  turnover  and  method  of  computing  percentage  "labor  turnover"  formu- 
lated by  a  special  committee  at  the  Rochester  Conference  of  Employment  Man- 
agers, Rochester,  N.  Y.,  May,  1918.     This  "standard  definition"  is  given  in 
full  in  the  Monthly  Labor  Review  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  for 
June,  1918,  pp.  172-173-) 


DEFINITION  AND  MEASUREMENT  9 

|  -THE  BASE  IN   " TURNOVER"   COMPUTATION 

In  regard  to  the  base  upon  which  the  amount  of  labor  insta 
bility  is  to  be  computed  the  situation  also  leaves  much  to  be 
desired.  The  number-on-pay-roll  basis  which  has  been  most 
commonly  used  is  patently  defective  because  of  the  varying 
numbers  of  "dead"  employees  included,  that  is,  employees, 
absent  at  first,  who  eventually  separate  from  service  but  who  are 
likely  to  be  carried  on  the  pay  roll  for  varying  periods  of  time 
after  they  have,  ceased  to  be  active  employees.  The  Bureau  of 
Labor  Statistics,  in  its  first  investigation,  took  the  average  of  the 
weekly,  fortnightly,  or  monthly  mimher^nn  thp  pay  roll  as  repre- 
senting the  standard  working  force,.  This  is  a  padded  "stand- 
ard," as  will  soon  be  made  evident.  The  Rochester  Conference 
proposed  that  the  average  numbej^ac^ufbtiy^orking  from  da> 
day  be  considered  the  "standard"  working  force.  This,  it  is 
believed,  comes  nearer  to  a  genuine  standard  base  than  any  other  - 
proposal  theretofore  advanced.  The  trouble  with  both  these 
methods  is  that  they  are  not  standards  at  all  in  any  proper  sense 
of  the  word. (They, may,  indeed,  constitute  a  fairly  accurate 
base  for  determining  the  rate  of  labor  flow  in  any  particular 
establishment,  but  they  do  not  constitute  a  common  base  for 
different  establishlnentsy 

The_Pay  RolT  as' Base.  —  The  statistical  evidence  available 
indicates  quite  conclusively  that  the  average  pay-roll  number  is 
an  inflated  and  inconstant  standard,  and  therefore  a  very  ii 
accurate  base  for  use  in  measuring  labor  mobility.  Some  appre- 
ciation of  the  amount  of  this  inflation,  due  to  dead  and  brokert- 
time  names  on  the  pay  roll,  may  be  had  from  an  examination  c 
the  records  of  a  few  establishments  which  kept  their  records  in 
such  a  way  that  it  was  possible  to  compaje  the  actual  amount 
of  employment  as  measured  by  the  labor  hours  worked  with  the 
apparent  amount  of  employment  shown  by  pay-roll  figures  — 
which  latter  figures,  of  course,  show  the  aggregate  number  who 
had  been  in  service  for  any  length  of  time  during  the  pay  period. 


10 


LABOR    TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 


In  Table  i  there  are  shown  for  five  establishments  the  number  of 
equivalent  full-time  workers  for  a  given  period  of  time  and  the 
average  number  of  employees  on  the  pay  roll  for  the  same  period. 


TABLE  1 

DIFFERENCE  BETWEEN  PAY-ROLL  NUMBERS  AND  NUMBER  OF  EQUIVALENT 
FULL-TIME  WORKERS 


V 

PER  CENT  EX- 

CHARACTER OF  ESTAB- 
LISHMENT 

AGGREGATE 
NUMBER  OF 
ONE-MAN 
DAYS  WORKED 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL-TIME 
WORKERS 

AVERAGE  NUM- 
BER OF  EM- 
PLOYEES ON 
PAY  ROLL 

CESS  OF  PAY- 
ROLL NUMBER 
OVER  EQUIVA- 
LENT NUMBER 
OF  FULL-TIME 

WORKERS 

Copper  mine  l    .     .     . 
Smelter1       .... 

82,oi6v 
130,467 

gjU 

298 

21 

29 

Electro-zinc  plant  1 

45,949 

133 

if 

34 

Machine  Tool  Mfg.  2     . 

3 

3,855* 

4,046 

5 

Metal  Products  Mfg.  6  . 

3 

10 

Obviously,  the  margin  of  excess  of  the  pay-roll  number  over 
the  number  of  equivalent  full-time  workers  indicates  the  extent 
to  which  the  pay-roll  records  are  "  loaded"  with  names  of  em- 
ployees who  may  have  worked  only  a  day  or  two  of__the_pay 
period  jind  who,  therefore,  do  not  reBreseiit-employment  —  but 
merely^more  or  less  padded  pay  roll..  The  use  of  the  pay-roll 
number,  even  though  it  exaggerates  the  amount  of  employment. 
(which  is  the  true  basis  of  computation),  might  still  do  fairly  well 
as  a  base  in  computing  mobility  if  only  the  margin  of  inflation 
vygre  fairly  uniform  t  Unfortunately  it  is  not  at  all  uniform. 
There  are  at  once  apparent  wide  variations  between  different 
plants,  the  least  exaggeration  of  pay  roll  appearing  in  the  machine 
tool  manufacturing  plant  where  the  excess  is  only  5  per  cent  and 
the  greatest  in  the  electro-zinc  plant  where  the  excess  is  34  per 
cent.  The  fluctuations  in  this  margin  of  inflation  are  even-adder 
between  different  ar^rjolL^ejiQ^^ 


1  Year  ending  May  31,  1918. 

2  Year  ending  June  30,  1915. 

3  No  report 


4  Average  daily  work  force. 
6  Calendar  year  1915. 


DEFINITION  AND  MEASUREMENT  i± 

Thus,  in  the  smelting  plant  shown  in  the  above  table  the  margin 
of  pay-roll  inflation  ranges  from  7  per  cent  in  February  to  52  per 
cent  in  April.  These  figures  indicate  that  the  true  active  working 
complement  is  unquestionably  considerably  smaller  than  the 
apparent  complement  indicated  on  the  face  of  the  'pay-roll 
records.  This  margin  is  due  to  the  counting  of  the  names  of  those 
employees  who  served  only  a  part  of  the  pay  period  but  whose  t 
names,  nevertheless,  were  not  dropped  from  the  gay  roll  until 
after  the  end  of  the  pay  period*  It  is  obvious  that  the  pay-roll 
figures  must  be  discounted  for  this  "broken- time"  margin.  The 
n^^si>yJ;nj^jTTgjnrig  surh  a.  Hfsroiint  nLtbgj^Jj[j^ 
the  conclusion  that  the  true  base  in  labor  mobility  rate  calcula_- 
tion  must  be  expressed  in  some  standard  unit,  say,  3000  hours 
-  time  roughly  equivalent  to  the  time  put  in  by  one  employee 
working  one  year. , 

Average  Daily  Work  Force.—  A  base  subsequently  recom- 
mended and  one  which  more  clearly  approaches  a  true  standard  is 
the  average  dryly  work  fornej  based  upon  attendance  records.  But 
it  was  found  that  even  the  use  of  the  average  daily  working  force 
a?  r  base  was  hardly  adequate  for  comparative  purposes  bec?1"^ 
the  widely-Varying  length  ot  the  work-day  in  different  establish- 
ments, industries,  and  cities  makes  such  figures  inadequate.  The 
average  daily  attendance  plan  was  proposed  very  largely  because 
it  approximates  more  closely  the  average  number  of  full-year 
workers.  (Since  the  amount  of  "turnover"  is  measured  by  the 
ratio  between  thenumber  of  replacements  made  and  the  average^ 
rmmber_of  workers^who  are  continuousl;  employecL  throughout 
the  period,/! L  is  evident  that  the  requisite  standard  is  to  be  arrived 
at  by  somehow  pruning  down  the  pay-roll  figures  tP  the  equivalent 
number  of  full-year  workers,  as  defined  abov£. 

^r/  :^.  —  Tt  v  r  ;  Bested  that  this  pruning  can  be  done 
y  effect!  way  most  conducive   to  standard-  , 

ion  by  usin^  umber  of  hoi 

failing  a  re-  the  number  of  days) 

icr  fVu»  n 


12  LABOR    TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 

V  LABOR  CHANGE  RATES 

Just  as  "turnover"  is  a  misleading  term  for  use  in  general 
reference  to  the  phenomenon  of  labor  instability,  so  the  term 
"percentage"  is  equally  confusing  for  use  in  measuring  the  extent 
of  this  phenomenon.  We  know  exactly  the  extent  of  the  replace- 
ment necessary  to  maintain  the  normal  work  force  when  we  know, 
let  us  say,  that  replacements  took  place  in  any  given  concern 
at  the  rate  of  2  for  each  full-year  worker  in  the  normal  work 
force.  In  other  words,  the  phrase  "rate  of  replacement"  accu- 
rately designates  what l '  pprren  tapp  .of  farn  m/pr '  '  has  been  loosely 
used  to  express.*^ 

Other  items  in  the  labor  flow,  and,  indeed,  its  whole  volume  or 
flux,  may  be  "rated"  in  a  similar  fashion.  The  rate  at  which 
employees  leave  may  be  called  the  separation  rate,  and  the  rate 
at  which  they  are  hired,  the  accession  rate  ^Whichever  of  these 
two  rates  is  the  lowerjqay,  for  all  practical  purposes,  Be^usfid  as 
the_ieplafifflflent  rate.  When_the  accession^  rate  ayreeds  the 
separation  rateT  the  difference  between  the  two  measures  the 
V^bor  increase  rate.  When  the^  separation  rate  exceeds  the 
acce/  ior  vate,  their  difference  measures  the  labor  decrease  rate. 
If  the  separation  and  accession  rates  are  equal,  either  one  may, 
of  course,  be  used  as  the  replacement  rate  and  there  is  naturally 
neither  increase  or  decrease,  the  concern  in  question  being  neither 
expanding  nor  curtailing  operations.  The  rates  of  increase jmd^ 
decrease  may  be  considered  as  marginal  raJtesjnjglation  to  the 
replacement  rates,  the  increase  rate  measuring  the  amount,  if  any, 
of  inflow  over  and  above  replacement  inflow  a_nd  iLc  decrease 
rate  measuring  the  amount,  if  any,  of  outflow  over  and  above  the  , 
outflow^which  hajTtcTbe (and  sooner  or  later  is)  replaced. ,  The 

lfThe  phrase  " percentage  of  turnover"  has  also  been  used  tij  express  "the 
ratio  of  the  total  number  of  separations  ...  to  the  average  number  of  employees 
on  the  force  report."  —  Standard  definition  of  labor  lumber  and,  method  of 
Computing  the  percentage  of  labor  turnover,  National  Confe/ence  of  Employment 
Managers,  Rochester,  New  York,  May  9  to  n,  1918,  6  A'onthly  Labor{ Review, 
1534-1535  (June,  1918). 


DEFINITION   AND   MEASUREMENT  13 

accession  rate  plus  the  separation  rate  gives  the  total  rate  < 
change  —  a  single  rate  of  labor  flux  on  the  basis  of  which  the 
mobility  of  labor  in  one  occupation,  shop,  industry,  or  locality 
may  be  compared  with  its  mobility  in  any  other  occupation, 
shop,  industry,  or  locality.  These  different  types  of  labor 
mobility  or  labor  change  rates  may  be  classified  as  follows: 

i.  Accession  rate  (or  hiring  rate) 

quitting  rate  (leaving  voluntarily) 


discharge  rate  ("  firing"  rate)       l  6    ^~* 
lay-off  rate 

3.  Replacement  rate  (separations  minus  excess  of  separations  over  ac- 
cessions).   This  is  the  "turn-over  V  rate. 

4.  Labor  increase  rate  (accession  rate  minus  separation  rate) 

5.  Labor  decrease  rate  (separation  rate  minus  accession  rate) 

6.  Flux  rate  (accession  rate  plus  separation  rate)  l 

•v-.vjf  there  is  no  excess  of  separations  over  accessions,  that  is  to 
'[.  :'".'.SSy,  if  the  separations  exactly  equal,  or  are  exceeded  by,  the 
":;  accessions,  the  nuniber  of  separations/  as  it  stands,  represents 
•the  number  of  replacements.   It  is  evident,  then,  that  whichever 
i  number  —  accession  or  separation  —  is  the  smaller  must  repre-  ' 
"sent  the  number  of  'replacements.    It  should  be  very  carefully 
observed,  however,  that  serious  error  may  result  when  the 
attempts  made  in  this  fashion  directly  to  deduce,  the  number  of 
replacements  from  the  accession  and  separation  figures  when 
these  figures  represent  the  aggregate  of  several  establishments 
or  even,  in  some  cases,  of  several  groups  (departmental,  occupa- 
tional, etc.)  within  a  single  establishment.    Thus,  for  example, 
in  Table  7  it  is  evident  that  the  86,179  separations  which  took 
place  in  the  16  plants  in  1910,  although,  as  compared  with  the 
90,408  accessions,  they  would  come  much  nearer  to  the  number 

lThe  use  of  the  expressions  "labor  flux,"  "labor  increase,"  and  "labor  de- 
crease" has  been  suggested  to  the  writers  by  Lucian  W.  Chaney,  of  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics.    Mr.  Chaney  has  also  suggested  the  term  "in- 
dustrial rates"  for  use  in  general  reference  to  labor  mobility  rates,  accid<  (ti 
etc.    The  authors  wish  to  take  this  opportunity  to  express  their  indebh  ..... 
Mr.  Chaney  in  the  whole  subject-matter  of  this  chapter. 


14  LABOR   TURNOVER  IN   INDUSTRY 

of  replacements,  are  in  all  probability  considerably  above  it, 
since  it  is  likely  that  in  some  of  the  16  establishments  the  separa- 
tions exceeded  the  accessions  —  in  other  words,  contained  non- 
replacement  changes.  /The  only  method  of  obtaining  absolute 
accuracy  in  regard  to  replacements  is  to  segregate  in  a  separate 
column  the  replacement  numbers  (whichever  is  smaller,  accessions 
or  separations)  for  each  labor  group  (whether  occupation,  depart- 
ment, sex,  plant,  or  locality)  for  which  figures  are  shown,  add  the 
replacement  numbers  for  each  group,  and  figure  the  replacement 
rate  independently  on  the  basis  of  the  total  thus  obtained.  It  is 
eyident,  of  course,  that  in  such  a  case  as  that  of  Table  3,  where 
the  work  force  of  a  single  plant  is  taken  as  a  unit,  the  replacement 
rates  may  be  directly  deduced  as  indicated  in  the  formula. 

The  marginal  flow,  mentioned  above,  made  up  of  excess  hirjngs 
or  excess  separations,  as  the  case  may  be,  is  not  without  impor- 
tance^It  is  not  labor  replacement,  however.  Its  importance, 
so  far  as  force  maintenance  is  concerned,  is  quite  secondary.  As 
a  contributing  or  causal  factor  in  unemployment  in  general,  it 
is  of  vital  importance  both  to  the  employing  firm  and  to  the 
community.  Consider,  for  the  moment,  not  merely  the  labor 
replacement  involved  in  the  establishment's  force  maintenance,  ; 
but  its  labor  mobility  situation  as  a  whole.  As  already  noted, 
this  tota^jtability  situation  is  best  represented  by  th^sum  of  j 
the  accession  and  separation  rates.  This  includes  not  only  the 
accessions  and  separations  which  are  replaced  (and  which  form 
the  basis  of  the  replacement  rate),  but  also  any  possible  marginal 
flow  (of  excess  recruits  or  "quitters"1)  expressed  in  the  form  of 
labor  increase  or  decrease  rates,  as  the  case  may  be.  This  total 
establishment  flow,  as  already  intimated,  is  perhaps  the  best 
single  ind^x  to  thf  general  labor  stability  situation  in  any  estab-^ 
Hshment  and  to  its  standing  as_compared  with  other  establish- 
ments. This  total  flux  figure  is  quite  readily  ascertainable  and 
it  can  easily  be  computed. 

1  The  word  "quitters"  is  used  in  these  pages  in  the  sense  of  "terminating"  and 
refers  to  all  employees  leaving  service,  for  whatever  reason. 


DEFINITION   AND   MEASUREMENT  15 

From  the  standpoint  of  the  employee,  Ijjborjtnobility  means 
irregular  employment  ^ndjmenirjlpj^i^nt.  In  the  present  work 
we  are  not  primarily  concerned  with  unemployment  as  a  com- 
munity problem  or  as  a  personal  employee  problem;  we  are 
concerned  with  it  simply  as  an  establishment  problem.  The 
primary  purpose  of  this  analysis  is  to  gauge  the  labor  flow  into 
and  out  of  the  factory,  including  that  part  of  the  labor  flow 
which  (necessarily  or  unnecessarily)  is  involved  in  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  normal  work  force  —  the  phase  of  labor  mobility 
here  referred  to  as  " labor  replacement/'  "or  labor  turnover." 
These  terms  express  the  employers'  professional  interest  in  un- 
employment as  a  phenomenon  o£~fehe^labor  flow  —  into  and  out 
of  his  establishment.  Quite  naturally,  he  is  more  concerned 
about  the  number  of  men  it  is  necessary  to  hire  to  keep  the  es- 
tablishment going  than  he  is  about  the  number  of  days  unem-  ." 
ployed  individuals  may  be  out  of  work  each  year. 

cSUCCESTED   CHANGES   IN   COMPUTATION  PRACTICE 

It  is  here  proposed  to  make  certain  definite  changes  in  com- 
putation practice  in  regard  to  all  the  factors  entering  into  the     ^ 
measurement  o"f  the  labor  flow: 

1.  As  to  the  relatively  more  variable  factor  —  the  ebb  and 
flow  of  industrial  labtfr  — it  is  suggested  that  it  be  measured  by 
(a)  maiding  use  of  accessions  as  well  as  separations^  (b)  from  the 
relation  between  these  two  more  or  less  accurately  gauging  the 
replacements,  and  (c)  adding  accessions  to  separations,  thus 
sliowinglliejabor  flux. "" 

2.  As  to  the  relatively  constant  f actor ?  or  base  —  the  normal 
or  standard  working  force  —  it  is  proposed  to  use,  instead  of  the 
average  number  on  the  pay  roll,  the  number  of  ^poo-honr  (pr 
300-ten-hour  day)  workers  to  which  the  total  hours  (or  days)  put 
in  during_the  period  are  calculated  to  be  qquivalefltj    This 

1  THe  jooo-hour  basic  year  is  a  more  or  less  arbitrary  standard  amount  of  em-  \ 

ployment,  taken  as  being  -oughly  equivalent  to  the  amount  of  labor  time  normally  \ 

put  in  by  the  average  fully  employed  industrial  employee.    It  is  not  meant  to  dis-  ! 
count  —  j  very  re«l  advantages  of  the  eight-hour  day. 


i6 


LABOR   TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 


TABLE  2 

TREND  OF  LABOR  FLUX,  ACCESSION,  CLASSIFIED  SEPARATIPN,  AND  REPLACEMENT 
RATES  IN  A  METAL-PRODUCTS  MANUFACTURING  PLANT  (ESTABLISHMENT 
No.  42-182), *  BY  MONTHS,  FROM  1912  TO  1919 


YEAR  ENDED  WITH 

AVERAGE 
NUMBER 
OF  FULL- 
YEAR 
WORKERS 

MOVING  ANNUAL  RATES  PER  FULL-TEAR  WORKER 

LABOR 
FLUX 
(SEPARA- 
TIONS 
PLUS  AC- 
CESSIONS' 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 
SIONS J 

CLASSIFIED  SEPARATIONS 

TOTAL  * 

LEFT 
VOLUN- 
TARILY 

LAID 
OFF 

DIS- 
CHARGED 

December  31,  1912  . 

1,088 

4.10 

2.20 

1.90* 

1.23 

43 

•25 

January  31,  1913     . 

,114 

4.21 

2.28 

•93* 

1.28 

.40 

.26 

February  28  ... 

,138 

4.18 

2.22 

•97* 

I-3I 

.41 

•25 

March  30     ... 

1,158 

4-05 

2.14 

•9i* 

.24 

.42 

•25 

April  30  .... 

,174 

3-9^ 

2.08 

.88* 

.21 

.41 

•25 

May  31    .... 

,185 

3.96 

2.09 

.88* 

.21 

.42 

.24 

June  30   .... 

,214 

3.98 

2.18 

.80* 

.28 

.27 

.24 

July  31    .... 

,241 

4-03 

2.05 

•97* 

.29 

44 

.24 

August  31     ... 

,245 

4.02 

2.04 

.98* 

.27 

.46 

.24 

September  30 

,248 

3.98 

2.O2 

.96* 

.26 

.46 

.24 

October  31    . 

,258 

4-03 

2.O4 

1.99* 

•  24 

49 

.26 

November  30 

,264 

3-91 

.96 

1-95* 

.21 

.48 

.26 

December  31      .     . 

,262 

3-68 

.81* 

1.87 

.14 

47 

•25 

January  31,  1914     . 

,259 

3-5i 

•73* 

1.78 

.07 

47 

.24 

February  28.     .     . 

,262 

343 

•70* 

i-73 

.OI 

47 

.24 

March  30      ... 

,267 

3.38 

1.67* 

.96 

47 

•  24 

April  30  .... 

,276 

'&> 

1-57* 

.86 

49 

.22 

May  31    .... 

,277 

3.02 

•53 

1.50* 

•75 

•53 

.22 

June  30   .... 

,293 

2.86 

1.36* 

.64 

•50 

22 

July  31    .... 

1,299 

2.96 

49 

1.48* 

.61 

.64 

.22 

August  31     ... 

1,293 

2.89 

•39* 

1.50 

•Si 

•77 

.21 

September  30     ... 

1,279 

281 

•33* 

1.49 

49 

.80 

.20 

October  31    .     .     . 

1,260 

2.68 

.26* 

1-43 

.46 

•79 

.18 

November  30 

1,252 

2.70 

.26* 

1.44 

45 

.80 

.18 

December  31      .     . 

1,234 

2.58 

.16* 

1.42 

.44 

.81 

.16 

January  31,  1915     . 

1,217 

2-55 

•17* 

•39 

.42 

.81 

.16 

February  28. 

1,197 

2.50 

.12* 

•38 

.41 

.81 

•*s 

March  30      ... 

1,176 

2.40 

1.07* 

•33 

.39 

.81 

.12 

April  30  .... 

1,152 

2.31 

I.OI* 

•30 

•39 

•79 

.12 

May  31    .... 

1,136 

2.12 

.87* 

.24 

•39 

•75 

.11 

June  30   .... 

i,  088 

I.Q3 

.68* 

.24 

•36 

•79 

.09 

July  31    .... 

1,053 

1.70 

71* 

•99 

•38 

•53 

.07 

August  31     .     .     . 

1,049 

1.  60 

•73* 

.87 

.42 

•38 

.07 

September  30     .     . 

1,050 

1.63 

•76* 

,87 

•44 

•36 

.07 

October  31    .     .      . 

1,050 

1.62 

•76* 

.£6 

46 

•34 

.07 

November  30 

1,047 

1.59 

•73* 

.80 

•50 

•32 

•05 

December  31      .     . 

1,047 

I.QI 

1.  00 

.91* 

•54 

.31 

•OS 

1  Establishments  numbered  below  100  are  those  reported  in  the  prr-war  inquiry;  those  numbered 
above  100  were  covered  in  the  later  investigation.  Concerns  carryiug  a  double  number,  therefore, 
appeared  in  both  investigations. 

*  The  replacement  rates  are  marked  with  an  asterisk.  .  tnff  ~ 


DEFINITION  'AND   MEASUREMENT 
TABLE  2  — Continued 


MOVING  ANNUAL  RATES  PER  FULL-TEAR  WORKER 

AVERAGE 
NUMBER 

LABOR 

CLASSIFIED  SEPARATIONS 

YEAR  ENDED  WITH 

OF  FULL- 

FLUX 

TOTAL 

TEAR 

(SEPARA- 

ACCES- 

WORKERS 

TIONS 
PLUS  AC- 

SIONS * 

TOTAL  i 

LEFT 
VOLUN- 

LAID 
OFF 

Dis- 

CHARGED 

CESSIONS) 

TARILY 

January  31,  1916     . 

1,062 

2-45 

I-3I 

1.14* 

•76 

•32 

.07 

February  29  .     .     . 

1,091 

2-93 

1.  60 

1.32* 

.92 

.09 

March  30      ... 

I,  III 

3.36 

I.78 

1.58* 

I.I7 

•30 

.11 

April  30  .... 

1,128 

3-97 

2.08 

1.89* 

1.49 

.29 

.11 

May  31    .... 

1,152 

4.64 

2-43 

2.21* 

1.  80 

.29 

.12 

June  30   .... 

1,188 

5-02 

2.70 

2.32* 

2.OO 

.18 

.14 

July  31    .... 

1,225 

5.22 

2-75 

2.47* 

2.17 

•13 

.16 

August  31     ... 

1,249 

5-59 

2-95 

2.65* 

2-35 

.12 

.18 

September  30     .     . 

1,281 

5-90 

3-09 

2.81* 

2.52 

.10 

.19 

October  31    .     .     . 

1,314 

6.28 

3-32 

2.97* 

2.67 

.IO 

.20 

November  30     .     . 

i,35S 

6.67 

3.08* 

2-77 

.09 

.21 

December  31      .     . 

1,392 

6.63 

345 

3.18* 

2.88 

.09 

.21 

January  31,  1917     . 

1,406 

6.40 

3-25 

3.15* 

2.86 

.08 

.20 

February  28  .     . 

1,413 

6.33 

3-20 

3.12* 

2.85 

.08 

.20 

March  30      ... 

i,433 

6-35 

3.25 

3.10* 

2.83 

.07 

.     .20 

April  30  .... 

6.27 

3-21 

3.06* 

2-79 

.07 

.20 

May  31    .... 

1^63 

6.21 

3.15 

3.06* 

2.78 

.08 

.20 

June  30   .... 

1,466 

6.  20 

3-15 

3-05* 

2.79 

.06 

.20 

July  31    .... 

1,489 

6.47 

3.36 

3.11* 

2.90 

•03 

.19 

August  31     ... 

I,5I5 

6.78 

3-55 

3.23* 

3.02 

•03 

.18 

September  30     .     . 

1,536 

7-03 

3.69 

3-35* 

3.13 

•03 

.19 

October  31    .     .     . 

1,563 

7-05 

3.68 

3-37* 

3-14 

.04 

.19 

November  30     .     . 

1,588 

6.93 

3-57 

3.36* 

.04 

.20 

December  31      .     . 

1,606 

6.83 

3-49 

3-33* 

III 

.06 

.20 

January  31,  1918     . 

1,625 

6.73 

3-45 

3.28* 

3-02 

.06 

.20 

February  28  .     . 

1,634 

6.64 

3.36 

3.28* 

3-03 

.06 

.18 

March  30      ... 

6.57 

3-30 

3.27* 

3-04 

.06 

•17 

April  30  .... 

1)636 

6.48 

3-29 

3.19* 

2.95 

.07 

.17 

May  31    .... 

1,651 

6.23 

3-13 

3.10* 

2.87 

.07 

•17 

June  30   .... 

1,641 

6.07 

3.02* 

3.05 

2.83 

.07 

.16 

July  31    .... 
August  31     ... 

i,645 
1,652 

6.04 
5-76 

3-09 
2.90 

at 

2.73 
2.62 

.06 
.07 

.16 
•17 

September  30     .     . 

i,654 

5-70 

2.86 

2.84* 

2.60 

.07 

•17 

October  3^1    ... 

1,642 

6.08 

2.81* 

3.28 

2.65 

.46 

•17 

November  30 

6.42 

3-o8* 

3.34 

2.67 

.16 

December  31 

1)560 

6-59 

3-26* 

3.33 

2.67 

.49 

•17 

January  31,  1919     . 

1,547 

6.77 

3-40 

3-37* 

2.70 

.49 

.19 

February  28  .     . 

6.75 

3-34* 

2.67 

•54 

.20 

March  30      ... 

1,512 

6.55 

3-21* 

3-34 

2.56 

•56 

.22 

April  30  .... 

i,475 

6-39 

3.01* 

3.38 

2.47 

.67 

.25 

1  The  replacement  rates  are  marked  with  an  asterisk. 


i8  LABOR   TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

number  may  be  derived  from  the  labor-time  records  or,  failing 
such  records,  the  daily  attendance  records  or  wages  and  salary- 
account  records,  as  explained  in  another  section  of  this  chapter. 
This  standard  base  will  be  called  for  convenience  "the  equivalent 
full-year  worker"  or,  more  briefly,  "the  full-year  worker." 

3.  It  is  then  proposed,  in  place  of  the  rate  of  gross^separation 
per  100  in  attendance  or  the  rate  of  gross  accession  per  100  on 
the  pay  roll  (both  so-called  "turnover  percentages"),  tp^se,^§ 
a  dpjjal&^njjgg  of  the  shifting  involved  in  labor  maintenance  and 
of  the  extent,  as  well,  of  labor  increase  and  labor  curtailment, 
the^fes^flai^s^^ 

worker,  and  as  an  index  to  the  general  stability  situation  the  total 
labor  flux  rate  per  full-year  worker,  the  "full-year  worke~r" 
being  a  standard  unit,  the  number  of  which  is  obtained  by  divid- 
ing  the  total  number  of  hours  (or  days)  worked  during  the  period 
considered  bythejooo_hours  (or  300  days)  of  a  standard  working 
year*.  (The  rate  is"arrived  at  by  dividing  the  number  of  labor 
changes ^(ofj^hate^rjkind)_bythe  number  of  "full-year  workers.") 
As  will  be  explained  in  another ~pa7tToT  this' ^chapter,  not  only 
these  accession  and  separation  rates,  but  the  labor  replacement, 
labor  increase,  labor  decrease,  and  total  labor  flux  rates  each  can 
be  computed  separately  and  their  general  trend  and  relations  to 
each  other  readily  charted  in  graphic  form. 


The  whole  significance  of  the  use  of  j^placements  rather  than 
gross  separations  as  an  index  of  labor  flux,  as  well  as  the  relation 
between  the  accession,  separation,  and  replacement  rates,  is  best 
brought  out  by  the  use  of  data  showing  the  average  number  of 
employees  and  the  number  hired  and  leaving  by  months  over  a 
fairly  long  period.  %  This  will  give  some  notion  as  to  the  trend  of 
accessions,  separations,  and  replacements.  Such  illustrative 
data  are  contained  in  Table  $. 

The  figures  presented  are  from  a  metal  products  manufacturing 
establishment  in  the  Middle  West.  They  show  for  the  twelve- 


DEFINITION   AND   MEASUREMENT 


20  LABOR   TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

month  periods  indicated  the  rates  of  labor  change  (flux,  accession, 
and  classified  separation)  per  full-year  worker.  They  are,  in 
other  words,  "smoothed"  rates  derived  (by  the  method  of  moving 
averages)  from  the  actual  rates  for  each  month,  which  latter  in 
turn  are  computed  by  dividing  the  actual  number  of  labor  changes 
of  each  particular  kind  that  occurred  during  each  month  (the 
variable)  by  the  number  of  full-year  workers l  employed  during 
that  month  (the  base).  Thus,  e.g.,  the  figure  2.20  at  the  top  ofl 
the  accessions  column  is  the  accession  rate  for  the  twelve-month 
period  ending  December  31,  1912,  and  the  figure  2.28  is  the  rate 
for  the  twelve-month  period  ending  January  31,  1913,  etc. 
Replacement  rates  among  total  separations  and  accessions  are 
indicated  by  asterisks.,  9 

The  moving  annual  laSor  change  rates  given  in  Table  2  for  the 
overlapping  twelve-month  periods  are,  with  the  exception  of 
the  classified  separation  rates,  shown  graphically  in  Chart  A.2 

The  two  curves  marked  "  accessions  "  and  "  separations  "  tell 
the  whole  story.  There  are  obviously  two  main  movements. 
There  was  a  distinct  downward  movement  —  a  movement  toward 
greater  stability  —  during  the  greater  part  of  the  four-year 
period,  1912-1915.  The  following  four  years  —  the  years  of  the 
World  War  —  witnessed  a  movement,  quite  precipitate  at  first, 
toward  greater  mobility.  The  accession  and  separation  rates 
follow  a  roughly  parallel  course  during  the  seven-year  period. 
The  average  number  of  employees  underwent  a  slight  increase. 
The  flux  rate  curve  shows  a  form  roughly  corresponding,  of 
course,  to  the  trend  of  accessions  and  separations.  It  was  4.10 
per  full-year  worker  in  1912,  1.91  in  1915,  and  6.39  in  1919. 
The  replacement  curve  (marking  the  trend  of  the  starred  figures 
in  Table  2)  is  shown  on  the  chart  by  a  line  drawn  parallel  to  a  line 

1  That  is  to  say,  3ooo-hour  workers,  as  explained  above. 

2  The  chart  was  drawn  by  Mr.  Leon  Kirsch,  formerly  of  the  United  States 
Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics.    Both  the  chart  and  Table  2  are  reprinted  by  per- 
mission, from  an  article  on  "The  Measurement  of  Labor  Mobility,"  by  P.  F. 
Brissenden,  28  Journal  of  Political  Economy,  454-455,  457  (June,  1920).    The 
classified  separation  rates  are  plotted  on  Chart  E  on  page  83. 


DEFINITION  AND  MEASUREMENT  21 

connecting  the  lower  points  in  the  lines  showing  accessions  and 
separations.  It  is  evident  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  period 
accessions  were  in  excess,  so  that  separations  measured  replace- 
ments, whereas  at  the  end  of  the  period  the  reverse  relation  held 
true  and  accessions  consequently  measured  replacements. 

In  1912  employees  in  this  particular  factory  were  being  re- 
placed at  the  rate  of  1.90,  in  1915  at  the  rate  of  0.91,  and  in  1919 
at  the  rate  of  3.01  per  full-year  worker.  Either  the  replacement 
curve  or  the  flux  curve  would  seem  to  serve  quile  well  as  single 
indices  of  the  labor  stability  situation.  The  labor  frik  rate  was 
cut  down  54  per  cent  during  the  period  from  January  i,  1912,  to 
December  31,  1915,  but  between  the  latter  date  and  April  30, 
1919,  it  underwent  an* increase  of  235  j^cent. 

When  the  accessions  are  in  excess  of  the€eparations,  the  factory 
is  building  up  its  force,  and  the  extent  to  which  they  are  in  excess 
measures  the  amount  of  recruiting  being  done.  When  the  separa- 
tions,  on  the  other  hand,  exceed  the  accessions,  the  factory  must 
becu^tmg_dQwn^its  operations  and  reducing  its  force,  and  the 
rnargin  by  which  the  separations  are  in  excess  measures  the 
amount  of  labor  decrease*  In  the  chart  the  dark  shaded  areas 
show  the  extent  of  labor  increase  and  the  light  shaded  areas  the 
extent  of  labor  decrease. 

7?'  $  DEFINITION  OF  TERMS 

The  precise  definitions  of  the  different  factors  which  have  been 
discussed  in  the  preceding  pages  may  now  be  formulated  and 
the  method  of  computation  described: 

The  Variably.  —  The  whole  phenomenon  of  the  movement  of 
labor  into  and  out  of  industrial  establishments  is  referred  to 
here  as  f 'labor  mobility:"1  Those  hired  are  referred  to  as  "ac- 
cessions." Those  leaving  service,  under  whatever  circumstan'- 

1The  term  "labor  mobility"  primarily  connotes  movement.    Fro*- 

s  standpoint,  however,  it  will  sometimes  be  convenient  to  re* 
ity,  or  even  to  use  the  word  "stability"  —  where  that  v* 

appropru- 


21  LABOR   TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 

r 

are  referred  to  as  "separations."  Those  of  the  accessions  which 
are  made  to  fill  the  vacancies  made  by  separations  are  replace- 
ment accessions,  or  "replacements."  Whichever  one  of  the  two 
items,  accessions  or  separations,  is  the  smaller  may  conveniently 
be  taken  as  measuring  the  number  of^eglacements./VThe  total 
number  of  labor  changes,  that  is  to  say,  the^um^n!ie"accessjons 
and  separations,  is  the  '^labor  flux."  The  amount  by  which  the 
accessions  in  an  expanding  business  are  in  excess  of  the  separa- 
tions  is  theamount^f_^labpr  increase."  The  amount  by  which 
the  separarjons  in  a  plant  which  is  curtailing  operations  exceed 
the  accessions  is  the  amount  of  "laborjiecrease."  Unless  other- 
wise indicated  irTthe  <;ontext^ the  word  "turnover,"  in  this  book, 
is  used  in  reference  to^te  of  replacement.1 

The  Base  or  Standard  of  Measurement.  —  As  to  the  base  or  nor- 
mal work  force  to  which  the  number  of  labor  changes,  or  the 
number  of  replacements,  or  accessions,  etc.,  must  be  compared 
in  order  to  show  the  frequency  or  rate  of  change,  use  is  made  t)f 
the  aggregate' number  of  hours  actually  worked  by  all  employees 
for  any  period.  This  is  a  genuine  standard  base,  inasmuch  as  it 
accurately  represents  the  volume  of  employment,  or  the  amount 
pHndustrial  exposure.  This  base  at  once  eliminates  all  inflation 
due  to  dead  and  brokerirtinie  n?mes.on  the  payroll,  thus  put- 
ting establishments  with  varying  amounts  of  employment  on  a 
par  and  making  the  strictest  comparability  possible.2 

Vj.    METHOD   OF  COMPUTATION 

The  exact  method  of  measuring  labor  mobility  used  in  this 
study  is  as  follows:  The  general  extent  of  labor  mobility  is 
statistically  determined  by  comparing  the  total  movement  of 

JThe  relations  between  accessions,  separations,  replacements,  and  flux  may  b'j  .> 
seen  from  the  tabular  presentation  of  them  all  in  Table  3.    See  above,;  p^. 
note  4. 

a  In  the  earlier  studies  of  labor  turnover  made  by  the  Bureau  of  Labor  Statis- 
tics the  average  daily  work  force  was  first  used  as  a  base  but  was  later  change 
the  full-year  of  3ooo-hour  worker.    Finally,  the  Bureau  decided  to  use  the  unit 
*T  hour  or  some  decimal  multiple  thereof.    (10  Mo.  Lab.  Rev.  1344.) 


DEFINITION   AND   MEASUREMENT  23 

labor  in  and  <out  (accessions  and  separations)  during  any.  given 
period  with  the  number  of  "fully-emplqyed-worker"  labor- time 
units  of  3000  hours  put  in  by  the  work  force  during  that  period. 
The  number  of  labor  changes,  in  other  words,  is  compared  with 
the  number  of  full-year  workers.  This  flux  or  total  labor  change.  • 
rate  is  believed  to  constitute  the  best  single  index  to  the  general 
stability  situation  in  any 'plant  or  group  of  plants  and  in  sub- 
divisions within  individual  establishments.  (The  flux  rate  is 
made  up  of  the  accession  rate  and  the  separation  rate.)  The  two 
latfeFTates  should  be  shown  separately  in  order  to  reveal  the 
whole  stability  situation.  The  separationjrate  should  be  sub- 
divided  so  as  to  show  the  relative  responsibility  for  the  labor 
outflow  ot  discharges,  lay-otts,  and  quits.  JThejratejof  replace- 
rnent,  which  means  the  rate  at  which  separating  employees  whose 
places  must  be  filled  are  replaced  by  others,  may  be,  for  all 
practical  purposes,  defined  as  and  identified  with  the  rate  ol 
separation  when  that  rate  is  lower  than  the  accession  rate  and 
as  the  rate  of  accession  when  that  rate  is  lower  than  the  separa- 

r  •      -.  "-  •  _'_          JT ^_ 

tjonjrate.4^  When  the  accession  rate  exceeds. the  separation  rate, 
the  difference  between  the  two  measures  the  labor  increase  rate. 
When  the  separation  rate  exceeds  the  accession  rate,  their  differ  r 
ence  measures  the  labor  decrease  rate.l  If  the  separation  and 
accession  rates  are  equal,  either  one  may,  of  course,  be  used  as 
the  replacement  rate  and  there  is  naturally  neither  increase  nor 
decrease,  the  concern  in  question  being  neither  expanding  nor 
contracting.  The  rates  of  increase  and  decrease  may  be  con- 
sidered as  majrginaLrates  in  rdaHoiTIo  the'f^acSterit^jrgtes, 
the  increase  rate  measuring  the  amount,  if  any,  of  inflow  over 
and  above  replacement  inflow  and  the  decrease  rate  measuring 
the-  amount,  if  any,  of  outflow  over  and  above  the  outflow  which 
has  to  be  (and  sooner  or  later  is)  replaced. 

The  different  mobility  or  labor-change  rates  are  given  in  these 
pages  as. rates  per  full-year  (or  3oco-hour)  worker.  For  illustra- 
tion: The  figures  in  Table  7  show  that  during  the  year  ending 

1  See  above,  p.  13. 


24  LABOR   TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 

May  31,  1918,  the  sum  total  of  accessions  and  separations  for 
the  176  establishments  reported  was  1,244,640...  The  number  of 
labor  hours  worked  in  these  plants  during  this  period  was 
917,703,000.  Consequently  the 

Flux  rate  (per  full-year  worker)  is  .....     *^4>  4  —  X3,ooo 

the  Accession  rate     .......  .  —  3M73  —  X3,ooo 

917,703,000 

the  Separation  rate  ..........  --  *3'4  7  —  x  3,000  =  2.01 


The  rates  for  any  Hj^yj^nta.1,  -Qrrnpa.rinna.1  ,  or  other  sub- 
division of  the  work  force  can  be  figured  in  exactly  the  same  way. 
Thus,  for  example,  to  get  the  accession  rate  divide  the  number 
hired  for  the^rjarticular  department  or  occupation  during  the 
period  covered  by  Jhe_jmmber^f  labor  hours  worked  in  tjiat 
department  or  occupation_group  during  the  period  and  multiply 
by  3000.  It  at  once  will  be  evident  that  the  same  results  can  be 
obtained  in  more  direct  fashion  by  simply  dividing  the  number 
ofjabor  changes  by  the  number  of  full-vear  workers,. 

The  meaning  of  all  of  these  different  phases  of  labor  mobility 
and  their  relation  to  each  other  are  brought  out  in  a  somewhat 
clearer  fashion  in  Table  3  (presented  here  merely  to  throw  light 
on  method  and  terminology),  which  shows  for  the  years  1917  and 
1918  the  rate  per.  full-year  worker  of  flux,  accession,  separation, 
replacement,  labor  increase  and  decrease,  in  an  automobile; 
manufacturing  plant. 

It  is  evident  from  these  figures  that  in  1917  to  maintain  a 
labor  force  of  35,401.  workers^  who  put  in  106,203,000  labor 
hours,  there  were  14,82*7  separations.  Of  these  6863  represented 
curtailment  —  labor  decreas'e.  They  were  either  lay-offs,  dis- 
charges or  quits  takeli  advantage  of  to  reduce  the  force,  and 
not  replaced.  To  make  good  the  remaining  7964  separations, 
7964  new  workers  were*  hired.  There  were,  then,  in,  that  year 
22,791  labor  changes  involved  in  the  maintenance  and  curtail- 
ment of  a  work  force  of  35,401  persons.  In  1918  the  plant  under- 


DEFINITION   AND   MEASUREMENT  25 

went  expansion,  its  labor  increase  rate  being  .07  per  full-year 
worker.  There  were  24,349  separations,  all  of  which  had  to  be 
replaced.  In  addition,  plant  extension  required  a  labor  increase 
of  2223,  making  a  total  of  26,572  accessions.  There  were  alto- 
gether in  1918  no  less  than  50,921  labor  changes  required  to  main- 
tain and  enlarge  a  work  force  of  31,911  and  to  get  95,733,000 
hours  of  work  done.  In  other  words,  in  1917  the  accession  rate 
was  .23  and  in  1918  it  was  .83  per  full-year  worker;  the  separa- 
tion rate  was  .42  and.  76  in  1917  and  1918,  respectively;  the 

TABLE  3 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  AN  AUTOMOBILE  MANUFACTURING  PLANT  _(No.  48-194), 
SHOWING  FLUX,  ACCESSION,  SEPARATION,  REPLACEMENT,  AND  LABOR  INCREASE 
AND  DECREASE  RATES  FOR  1917  AND  1918 l 


YEAR 

AVERAGE 
DAILY 
ABSEN- 
TEES 

NUMBER 
OF  FULL- 
YEAR 
WORKERS 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

PLUS. 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

(FLUX) 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

REPLACE- 
MENTS 

LABOR 
IN- 
CREASE 

LABOR 
DE- 
CREASE 

1917    .      .      • 
1918   .      .      . 

1917    •      .      - 
1918   .      .      . 

NUMBER 

1,699 
1,340* 

'35,401 
3i,9ii 

22,791 
50,9-21 

7,964 
26,572 

14,8274 
24,349' 

7,964 
24,349 

-2,223* 

..6,8ft 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  (aooo-HouR)  WORKER 

0.05 
0.04*. 

— 

cx64 
i.  60 

0.23 
0.83 

0.42  . 
0.76 

0.23 
Q.76 

CX07 

0.19 

replacement  rate  .23  and  .76,  and  the  flux  rate  .64  and  1.60:    Inm 

.a  rate  01  .19 
(and  in  1918  it  underwent  expansion  at  a  rate  of  .07)  per  full-year 
worker.  This  means  that  when  the  accessions  are  in  excess  of 
the  separations  the  factory  is  building  up  its  force,  and  the  extent 
to  which  they  are  in  excess  measures  the  amount  of  labor  recruit- 
ing being  done.  When  the  separations',  on  the  other  hand,  exceed 
the  accessions,  the  factory  evidently  is  cutting  down  its  operations 

1  Taken  by  permission  from  Article  on  "  Measurement  of  labor  mobility,"  28 
Jour.  Polit.  Econ.  444. 

1  Based  on  records  for  first  six  months  only. 


26 


LABOR    TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 


and  reducing  its  force,  and  the  margin  by  which  the  separations 
are  in  excess  measures  the  amount  of  industrial  demobilization 
going  on  in  that  factory. 


RELATION  BETWEEN  DIFFERENT  METHODS  OF  COMPUTATION 

The  relation  between  the  two  principal  methods  which  have 
been  used  hitherto  in  labor  turnover  computation  and  the 
method  followed  in  this  .book  is  shown  in  Table  4,  in  which  the 
figures  of  methods  II  and  III  are  derived  from  those  of  method 
I  which  are  taken  from  Table  7.  Separation  rates  in  round 
numbers  are  given  in  parentheses: 

V_      TABLE  4 
C«MPARIS©N  «F  THREE  METHODS  «F  MEASURING  LAB@R  MOBILITY 


PERIOD 

ACCESSION 

SEPARATION 

FLUX 

1913-1914     

I.  RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  foooo-HouR)  WORKER 

•93   ' 
2.07 

•9P  d) 

2.01   (2) 

1.92 
4.08 

IQH—  IQI4 

n.,  RATE  PER  10,000  LABOR  HOURS 

3-07 
6.83 

3-27  (3-3). 

6.63  (6.6) 

6-34 
13.46 

1017—1018 

1013—1914 

ffl.  "PERCENTAGE  OF  TURNOVER"  1 
(So-called  "Rochester"  Method) 

— 

99  (100) 

201   (200) 

— 

1917—1918      

A  separation  rate  of  3.3  per  10,000  labor  hours,  as  the  Bureau 
of  Labor  Statistics  now  computes  "  turnover,"2  or  a  separation 
rate  (called,  Rochester  fashion,  "percentage  of  turnover")  of 
100  per  hundred  on  the  work  force,  as  the  Bureau  formerly 
figured  "turnove^r,"  are  both  equivalent  to  a*  separation  rate 

*That  is,  the  rate  per  100  full-year  workers  (or  employees  on  the  pay  roll). 
*  This  is  also  the  Bureau's  official  method  of  computing  industrial  accident 
rates.    10  Monthly  Labor  Review,  218-219  (January,  1920). 


DEFINITION   AND   MEASUREMENT  2*} 

per  full-year  worker  of  i.oo  as  used  in  these  pages.1  Conversely, 
a  separation  rate  of  2.00,  per  full-year  worker  as  used  Jiere  is 
equivalent  to  a  separation  rate  of  6.6  per  10,000  labor  hours  and 
to'a  "  percentage  of  turnover "  (Rochester  formula)  of  200.  The 
flux  rate  on  the  new  basis  used  here  would  be  2.00,  wriich  is  the 
same  as  a  flux^  rate  of  6.6  per  io,opo  labor  hours.  Such  a  rate 
indicates  that  during  the  period  under  observation  the  sum  total 
of  the  number  hirecl  and  leaving  is  ecjual  to  twice  the  number  of 
full-year  workers  employed.  When  jthe'accession  and  separation 
rates  in  any  establishment  each  stand  at  or.  close  to  i  .00,  thus 
giving  a  flux  rate  of  2.00,  the  situation  in  that  plant  is  one  equiva^ 
lent  to  a  complete  overturn  of  the  work  force.  C(5ut  this  complete 
work-force  turnover  flux  rate  of  2.00  may  actually  represent 
three_distinctlv  different  industrial  situations,  the  revelation  of 
whick  is  one  of  trie,  useful  functions  of  accession  and  separation 
rates y(i)  accessions  i.oo7 separation  i.oo,  a  going  concern  which 
is  neither  expanding  nor  curtailing  its  operations;  (2)  accessions 
1.50,  separations  .50,  a  concern  which  is  undergoing  more  or 
less  rapid  extension  of  plant;  and  (3)  accessions  .50,  separations 
1.50,  a  concern  which  is  curtailing  activities.  One  or  the  other 
of  these  three  different  situations  is  involved^  in  every  rate  of 
total  labor  change,  whether  it  be  in  a  very  stable  plant  with  a 
flux  rate  of  i^oo  or  a  very  unstable  one  with  a  flux  rate  of  4.00. . 

The  fact  should  be  emphasized  that  the  primary  object  in 
gauging  the  extent  of  labor  mobility  is.  to  ascertain  the  number 
of  labor  changes  involved  in  the  maintenance  (and  the  necessary 
expansion  or  reduction)  of  the  labor  force.  t  The  number  of  dif- 
ferent individuals  involved  in  these  changes  is  of  less  importance 
here  than  the  number  of  repeated  transactions.  The  computation 
method  here  used  indicates  the  numjber  of  changes  whichjake_ 
place,  but  it  obviouslyjnvolves  double  counting  and  does  not, 
therefore,  furnish  a  true  report  of  the  number  of  different  persons 

1  The  Bureau's  rates  (as  published,  e.g.,  in  the  Monthly  Labor  Review  for  June, 
1920,  pp.  36-56)  may,  therefore,  be  put  upon  a  comparable  footing  with  those 
given  in  this  book  by  multiplying  them  by  .3. 


28  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

involved  in  the  labor  shiftings.    The  accession  rate  reported  for 
a  single  concern  is  sure  to  inrlnrte  snrnf>rpp1nyftes 


hired  more  than  once  during  the  period  covered  by  the  figures. 
The  same  is  true  of  the  separation  rate  and  the  flux  rate.  The 
figures  for  a  group  of  establishments  may  also  contain  the  acces- 
sions of  certain  employees  whose  separations  are  included,  ds 
they  should  be,  in  the  separation  figures  for  the  same  group.  *  It 
is  important  to  observe  that  this  double  counting  does  not  affect 
the  accuracy  of  figures  designed  to  show  merely  repeated  trans- 
actions. Moreover,  since  the  concerns  here  reporting  are  widely 
scattered  geographically  and  well  distributed  as  to  industry, 
there  would  not  be  likely  to  be  many  employees  shifting  from 
job  to  job  within  the  group  of  firms  reported.  That  is  to  say, 
when  a  worker  left  one  of  these  plants  the  chances  would  be 
heavily  against  his  being  taken  on  by  one  of  the  other  firms  in 
this  small  group.  But  if  he  is  so  taken  on,  he  is  rightly  to  be 
counted  twice,  since  he  has  made  two  labor  changes.1 

1  For  more  detailed  treatment  of  this  widely  discussed  problem  of  the  measure- 
ment of  labor  turnover  see:  "Computing  Labor  Turnover:  a  Questionnaire/1 
56  Industrial  Management,  230-246  (September,  1918);  Doten,  Carroll  W., 
"Computing  Labor  Turnover,"  56  Industrial  Management,  339  (October,  1918); 
Emmet,  Boris,  "The  Nature  and  Computation  of  Labor  Turnover,"  27  Journal 
of  Political  Economy,  105-116  (February,  1919);  Crum,  F.  S.,  "How  to  Figure 
Labor  Turnover,"  16  Quarterly  Publications  of  the  American  Statistical  Association, 
361-373  (June,  1919);  Douglas,  PaulH.,  "Note  on  Methods  of  Computing  Labor 
Turnover,"  9  American  Economic  Review,  402-405  (June,  1919);  Slichter,  S.  H., 
"The  Scope  and  Nature  of  the  Labor  Turnover  Problem,"  34  Quarterly  Journal 
of  Economics,  329-345  (February,  1920);  and  Brissenden,  P.  F.,  "The  Measure- 
ment of  Labor  Mobility,"  28  Journal  of  Political  Economyt  441-476  (June,  1920). 


CHAPTER  HI 

PERSONNEL  POLICY  AND  LABOR  STABILITY  l 

A  VERY  effective  illustration  of  the  practical  usefulness  of 
labor  mobility  figures  is  furnished  in  a  comparison  of  the  mobility 
•experience  of  ten  selected  establishments  with  that  of  all  other 
establishments  reporting.  The  labor  flux  rates  in  each  of  the 
ten  selected  plants  are  shown  for  the  period  1913-1919  in  Table  5. 
For  convenience  in  making  comparisons  the  corresponding  flux 
rates  for  all  establishments  reporting  are  given  in  the  last  column. 

A  more  complete  exhibit  of  the  two  groups  of  concerns  com- 
pared in  Table  5  is  given  in  Table  6,  which  places  side  by  side 
for  each  year  of  the  seven-year  period  the  rates  of  accession,  sepa- 
ration, and  flux  in  (i)  the  ten  selected  establishments  and  (2)  all 
establishments  reporting.  The  labor  flux  rates  of  Table  6  are 
shown  graphically  in  Chart  B. 

-  The  ten  concerns  whose  recordslire  set  forth  in  Tables  5  and 
6  were  chosen  not  only  because  they  had  dej5.mte_labQr_policjes 
and  centralized  employment  machinery,  but  also  on  account  of 
the  fact  that  they  had  had  considerable  success  in  stabilizing  their 
work  forces  and  keeping  their  labor  mobility  rates  down  to  rela- 
tively low  levels.-  The  figures  demonstrate,  so  far  as  it  is  possible 

1  For  a  valuable  discussion  of  different  employment  methods  and  their  effect 
upon  labor  stability,  see  Sumner  H.  Slichter,  The  Turnover  of  Factory  Labor  (New 
York,  1919).  See  also  Kelly,  R.  W.,  Hiring  the  Worker  (New  York,  1918)  and 
Colvin,  F.  H.,  Labor  Turnover,  Loyally  and  Output  (New  York,  1919).  The 
following  articles  describe  in  detail  the  methods  used  in  certain  establishments 
which  have  successfully  applied  modern  employment  practices:  "Labor  Turnover 
and  Employment  Policies  of  a  Large  Motor-vehicle  Manufacturing  Establish- 
ment," by  Boris  Emmet,  Monthly  Labor  Review,  October,  1918;  "Employment 
Policy  and  Labor  Stability  in  a  Pacific  Coast  Department  Store"  and  "Employ- 
ment Policies  and  Labor  Mobility  in  a  California  Sugar  Refinery,"  by  P.  F.  Bris- 
senden,  Monthly  Labor  Review,  November  and  December,  1919. 

29 


30  LABOR   TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

to  demonstrate  such  things  in  statistical  terms,  the  definite 
effectiveness  of  liberal  labor  policies  and  more  or  less  centralized 
systems  of  employment^  The  curves  of  Chart  B  show  in  striking 
fashion  that  the  ten  selected  establishments  have  brought  about 
a  considerable  reduction  in  the  extent  of  their  labor  shift  anoLhave 
suffered  a  much  slighter  decrease  in  stability  during  the  war 
period  than  did  the^eneraljurj^of  e^stab^lishme^ts^  It  appears 
from  the  figures  of  Table  6~that  for  the  whole  period,  1913-1919, 
the  10  selected  concerns  had  an  average  labor  flux  rate  of  1.53  as 
compared  with  a  rate  of  £.25  for  all  other  concerns.  The  selected 
plants  reduced  their  flux  rates  from  3.27  in  1913  to  1.68  in  1919, 
but  were  forced  up  to  1.83  in  1918,  which  was  the  highest  point 
reached  after  1913.  Establishments  generally  began  with  a  rate 
of  2.61  in  1913,  were  pushed  in  1918  up  to  4.08  (over  twice  the 
mobility  experienced  by  the  selected  concerns),  and  finished  in 
1919  with  a  rate  of  2.10.  (This  comparison  of  achievements, 
which  covers  a  relatively  long  period,  shows  the  vital  importance 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  industrial  establishment  of  studying 
-this  subject  of  labor  mobility,  the  necessity  of  exa^ningjjie 
employment  and  personnel  methods  currently  practiced  by.lhe 
more  far-sighted  employers,  and  the  desirability  of  keeping 
systematic  and  continuous  employment  recordsjr^order  to  gauge 
the  effect  of  labor  policy  upon  labor  stability.  It  demonstrates, 
as  well,  the  urgent  need  for  the  more  widespread  adoption  fey 
employers  generally  of  such  labor  and  employment  policies  as 
will  be  most  effective  in  eliminating  from  industrial  life  the  evil 
and  the  waste  of  unnecessary  hiring  and  firing. ; 

Scientific  employment,  like  high  wages^  in  the  long  run  is  an 
economy.  It  is  less  expensive  to  keep  trained,  experienced  men 
than  it  is  to  hire  new  and  untrained  ones.  Policies  of  wholesale 
lay-off  and  indiscriminate  discharge  are  very  costly.  In  boom 
tunes  or  bad  it  pays  to  conserve  human  as  well  as  material  re- 
sources, to  put  just  as  much  thought  and  technique  into  hiring 
and  utilizing  men  as  is  given  to  the  purchase  and  elaboration 
of  raw  materials. 


ISONNEL   POLICY   AND   LABOR   STABILITY     31 


LABOR    TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

LABOR  FLUX  RATES  IN  TEN 
By  years,  from  1913 


FLUX  RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER  » 

YEAR 

48 
(AUTO- 
MOBILE 
MANU- 
FACTUR- 
ING) 

7* 

(MACHIN- 
ERY 
MANU- 
FACTUR- 
ING) 

35 

(MACHINE 
TOOL 
MANU- 
FACTUR- 
ING) 

2Q 

(VALVES 
AND  FIT- 
TINGS 
MANU- 
FACTUR- 
ING) 

73 
(CASH 

REGISTERS 
MANU- 
FACTUR- 
ING) 

(MEN'S 
CLOTHING 
MANU- 
FACTUR- 
ING) 

14 

(BOOK 
MANU- 
FACTUR- 
ING) 

1913  •      •      • 

8.40 

2.63 

2.97 

1.  08 

2.40 

1.32 

.66 

IQI4  •      •      • 

1.05 

I.I? 

1.74 

•33 

1.02 

•93 

•54 

I9IS  •      •      • 

.96 

1.05 

2.70 

•54 

.90 

1-53 

•33 

1916  . 

1.02 

1.74 

3-72 

1.83 

2.49 

1.62 

.84 

1917-      •      • 

.63 

3-03 

3-27 

i.  80 

3-03 

2.25 

1.17 

1918  .      .      . 

1.38 

2.76 

3-i8 

1.89 

4.89 

2-43 

1-95 

1919  •      •      • 

1.77 

1.17 

1.83 

1.62 

3-21 

1.77 

1.47 

»I.e.I  a  aooo-hour  worker. 

TABLE 

COMPARISON  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  TEN  SELECTED  ESTABLISHMENTS 

THE  YEARS  1913 


TEN  SELECTED  ESTABLISHMENTS 


YEA* 

NUMBER 

LABOR 

LABOR  CHANGES 

TABLISH 
MENTS 

WORKERS 

HOURS 

(THOUSANDS) 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

FLUX 

1913   .     •     • 

IO 

43,515 

130,545 

69,902 

71,390 

141,292 

1914  .     •     . 

IO 

32,758 

98,274 

10,952 

14,824 

25,776 

1915   -     •     • 

IO 

45,197 

135,591 

21,273 

10,223 

31,496 

1916  . 

IO 

56,508 

169,524 

44,477 

23,882 

68,359 

1917   •     •     • 

IO 

6i,434 

184,302 

31,127 

35,073 

66,200 

1918  .     .     . 

IO 

59,194 

177,582 

59,66o 

47,673 

107,333 

1919   •     •     • 

10 

71,559 

214,677 

69,334 

51,359 

120,693 

Whole  period 

370,165 

1,110,495 

306,725 

254,424 

56i,i49 

RATE  PER  FULL- 


1913  .  .  . 

1.62 

1.65 

3-27 

1914  .  .  . 

•33 

•45 

.78 

1915  .  .  . 

.48 

.24 

.72 

1916  . 

.78 

.42 

1.20 

1917  .  .  . 

•Si 

•57 

1.  08 

1918  .  .  . 

i.  02 

.81 

1.83 

1919  .  .  . 

.96 

.72 

1.68 

Whole  period 

.84 

.69 

i-53 

PERSONNEL   POLICY   AND   LABOR   STABILITY 


SELECTED  ESTABLISHMENTS 
to  1919,  inclusive 


IN  ESTABLISHMENT  NUMBER:— 

FLUX  RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR 
WORKER  IN:— 

ALL  ESTAB- 

(DEPART- 
MENT 
STORE) 

16 
(ELEVATED 
RAILWAY) 

278 
(STREET 
RAILWAY) 

THE  TEN  Es- 
TABLISMENTS 
COMBINED 

LISHMENTS  RE- 
PORTED FOR 
CALENDAR 
YEARS  SPECI- 

YEAR 

FIED 

1.29 

•75 

.27 

3-27 

2.61 

1913 

.90 

.90 

.12 

•78 

1.77 

1914 

.14 

.18 

.06 

.72 

1.68 

1915 

•65 

45 

45 

1.20 

3.21 

1916 

.38 

•78 

.69 

1.  08 

345 

1917 

.26 

1.23 

1.71 

1-83 

4.08 

1918 

•OS 

1.02 

•63 

1.68 

2.10 

1919 

WITH  ITS  MOBILITY  IN  ALL  OTHER  ESTABLISHMENTS  REPORTING  FOR 
TO  1919,  INCLUSIVE 


ALL  OTHER  ESTABLISHMENTS  REPORTING 


NUMBER 

LABOR  CHANGES 

YEAR 

OF  ES- 

FULL-YEAR 

LABOR 
HOURS 

TABLISH- 
MENTS 

WORKERS 

(THOUSANDS) 

ACCESSIONS 

SEPARATIONS 

FLXJX 

103 

355,934 

1,067,802 

471,844 

463,728 

935,572 

1913 

152 

340,529 

1,021,587 

289,169 

3",93i 

601,100 

1914 

41 

"3,857 

341,570 

100,938 

89,5H 

190,449 

1915 

9 

25,270 

75,809 

46,781 

33,824 

80,605 

1916 

18 

32,019 

96,057 

56,124 

54,393 

110,517 

1917 

20 

29,128 

87,386 

64,830 

54,336 

119,166 

1918 

IO 

14,592 

43,778 

15,925 

14,866 

30,791 

1919 

911,329 

2,733,989 

1,045,611 

1,022,589 

2,068,200 

Whole  period 

YEAR    (3OOO-HOUR)    WORKER 


1.32 

1.29 

2.6l 

1913 

.84 

•93 

i-77 

1914 

.90 

.78 

1.68 

1915 

1.86 

1-35 

3.21 

1916 

1.74 

1.71 

345 

1917 

2.22 

1.86 

4.08 

I9l8 

1.  08 

1.02 

2.10 

1919 

I.I4 

I.  II 

2.25 

Whole  per 

CHAPTER  IV 

GENERAL  EXTENT  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY 

LABOR  mobility,  as  already  has  been  pointed  out,  varies  with 
current  industrial  conditions,  and  changes  in  these  conditions 
naturally  influence  the  extent  of  the  flow  of  labor  into  and  out 
of' our  industrial  plants.  What  effect  these  alternating  periods 
of  prosperity  and  depression  have  upon  the  extent  of  accessions 
and  separations  themselves,  disregarding  for  the  moment  the 
particular  kind  of  establishment  or  its  location,  may  be  briefly 
summarized  somewhat  as  follows :  In  a  rising  labor  market  many 
new  employment  opportunities  are  created,  which  means  that 
jobless  workers  get  jobs  and  many  employed  workers  leave  their 
jobs  and  take  employment  elsewhere,  ostensibly  to  better  their 
industrial  situation.  Because  of  the  urgency  of  the  work  it  be- 
comes necessary  to  replace  quickly  those  employees  who  have  left. 
The  rapidity  with  which  employees  leave  their  jobs  and  the  extent 
to  which  job  changes  take  place  will  depend  upon  the  extent  to 
which  industrial  operations  are  enlarged  and  how  favorable  an 
employment  situation  is  thus  created  ./.The  more  favorable  the 
employment  situation,  the  larger  the  number  of  accessions. 
These,  of  course,  in  addition  to  those  hired  from  among  the  unem- 
ployed, are  the  cause  of  an  increase  in  the  number  of  separations 
from  other  plants,  where,  in  turn,  additional  replacement  acces- 
sions are  required.  Through  the  single  fact  that  employees  leave 
their  jobs  in  rapid  succession  constantly  increasing  employment 
opportunities  are  created,  thus  increasing  both  accessions  and 
separations.1 

When  there  is  extensive  industrial  activity  and  considerable 

1  The  fact  that  labor  turnover  is  heaviest  in  periods  of  prosperity  partially  ex- 
plains the  existence  in  such  periods  of  the  so-called  "  irreducible  minimum  of 
unemployment." 

34 


GENERAL   EXTENT  OF   LABOR   MOBILITY        35 

competition  for  labor,  the  process  of  selection  in  industrial 
establishments  also  considerably  accelerates  the  frequency  of 
labor  shifting.  It  is  obvious  that  when  an  establishment  is 
rapidly  increasing  its  work  force  in  a  tight  labor  market  it  cannot 
usually  make  a  very  careful  examination  of  the  fitness  of  a  par- 
ticular applicant  for  the  job.  During  such  times  it  is  also  possible 
that  people  are  taken  on  who  in  normal  times  would  not  be  hired 
at  all.  After  these  people  actually  begin  to  work  in  an  establish- 
ment, however,  a  good  many  of  them  will  be  found  to  be  unfit  or 
undesirable  and  after  a  longer  or  shorter  period  of  service  are  let 
go.  This  selective  process  is,  of  course,  greatly  intensified  in 
times  of  unusual  industrial. activity,  when  there  is  a  scarcity  of 
labor.  All  this  involves  an  increase  in  the  number  of  both  ac- 
cessions and  separations  far  above  the  ordinary  number,  which 
is  already  unnecessarily  large. 

In  periods  of  industrial  depression,  when  there  are  considerably 
fewer  job  opportunities  relatively  to  the  labor  supply  and  the 
number  of  available  job  opportunities  is  diminishing,  there  will 
take  place  at  first  a  considerable  number  of  forced  separations 
(lay-offs  and  discharges) ;  there  will  be,  moreover,  fewer  volun- 
tary separations.  There  will  be  practically  no  occasion  for  acces- 
sions to  build  up  force  and  much  less  need  for  accessions  for 
replacement,  inasmuch  as  most  of  the  jobs  abandoned  are  being 
at  least  temporarily  discontinued.  While  under  these  circum- 
stances the  number  of  separations  may  at  first  be  considerable, 
the  whole  number  of  separations  over  the  entire  period  of  depres- 
sion and  the  sum  total  of  labor  changes  during  that  period  will 
on  the  whole  be  much  less. 


The  enormous  proportions  that  labor  mobility  may  assume 
will  be  appreciated  from  an  examination  of  Table  7.*  In  this 

1  Taken,  after  shifting  the  rates  to  the  full-year-worker  basis,  from  the  writers' 
report  on  "  The  Mobility  of  Labor  in  American  Industry,"  10  Mo.  Labor  Rev. 
1347  (June,  1920). 


LABOR    TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 


TABLE  7 

LABOR  MOBILITY,  BY  YEARS,  1910-1919 
[Replacement  (or  "turnover")  numbers  and  rates  are  marked  by  asterisks  (*)] 


YEAR 

NUMBER 
or  ESTAB- 
LISHMENTS 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL-YEAR 
WORKERS  1 

TOTAL 
LABOR  HOURS 
(THOUSANDS) 

LABOR  CHANGES 

ACCESSIONS 

SEPARATIONS 

TOTAL  (FLUX) 

NUMBER 

1910     .      . 
1911     .      . 
1912     .      .' 
1913     .      . 

16 
24 
54 
H3 

85,263 
109,653 
188,363 
399,449 

255,789 
328,959 
565,089 
1,198,347 

90,408 
94,029* 
210,085 
541,746 

86,179* 

96,915 
182,287* 
535,n8* 

176,587 
190,944 
392,372 
1,076,864 

1913-142  . 

84 

244,814 

734,442 

227,008* 

243,707 

470,715 

1914     .      . 
1915     .      . 
1916 
1917     .      . 

162 

5i 
20 
27 

373,287 

159,054 
94,803 
58,052 

1,119,861 
477,162 
284,409 
174,156 

300,121* 

122,211 
131,300 
79,287 

326,755 
99,734* 

101,102* 

74,917* 

626,876 

221,945 
232,402 
154,204 

1917-182  . 

176 

305,901 

917,703* 

~     631,173 

613,467* 

•-T 

1,244^640 

1918     .      . 
1919     .      . 

29 
19 

56,411 
42,632 

169,233 
127,896 

•97',V8 
38^751 

84,99*9* 
36,100* 

_     182,917 
74,85i 

Total     . 

2,117,682 

6,353,046 

2,564/337 

2,481,280* 

5,045,317 

1910     .     . 
1911     .     . 
1912     .     . 

1913     .     . 

/    RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  (SOOO-HOUR)  WORKER  * 

x 

1.05 
.86* 
i.  ii 
i-35 

1.02* 

.88 
.96* 
1-34* 

2.07 
1.74 
2.07 
2.69 

1913-142  . 

•93* 

.99 

1.92 

1914     •     • 
1915     •     • 
1916     .     . 

1917     -     • 

.81* 
.78 
1.38 
1.38 

.88 
•63* 
i.  08* 
1.29* 

1.69 
1.41 
2.46 
2.67 

1917-18  2  . 

2.07 

2.01* 

4-08 

1918     .     . 
1919     •     • 

1.74 
.90 

1-50* 
.84* 

/  3-24 
1.74 

Total     . 

i.  20 

1.17* 

2-37 

1  The  figures  in  column  headed  "Number  of  full-year  workers"  in  this  and  following  tables  in  this 
book  are  obtained  by  dividing  the  total  labor  hours  by  3000.    These  figures  are  given  simply  to  in- 
dicate the  approximate  size  of  the  work  force  to  make  it  possible  directly  to  compare  the  absolute 
number  of  labor  changes  with  the  number  of  employees  in  the  work  force. 

2  The  figures  given  for  1013-14    and  1917-18  are  from  establishments  reporting  in  great  detail 
during  the  two  field  investigations  of  this  subject  made  by  the  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  in  1915  and 
1918.     The  time  covered  by  the  statistical  data  from  these  establishments  is  a  1 2-month  period  ending 
usually  about  the  middle  of  1914  and  1918,  respectively.    This  applies  to  the  material  shown  for  these 
dates  throughout  this  book. 

3  Computed,  as  already  explained,  by  dividing  number  of  labor  changes  by  the  total  number  of 
labor  hours  and  multiplying  by  3000.     The  same  results,  of  course,  will  be  obtained  by  dividing  the 
labor-change  numbers  by  the  corresponding  numbers  of  full-year  workers. 


GENERAL   EXTENT  OF  LABOR   MOBILITY       37 

table  the  combined  figures  for  the  years  1910  to  1919  show  that  in 
the  establishments  reporting  the  accomplishment  of  6,353, 046,000 
hours  of  work,  which  is  labor  time  equivalent  to  that  of  2,117,682 
full-year  (3ooo-hour)  workers,  there  were  entailed  2,564,037 
accessions  and  2,481,280  separations,  or  a  total  of  5,045,317  labor 
changes.  In  other  words,  on  the  average,  for  each  year  of  the 
decade  256,404  accessions,  248,128  separations,  or  a  total  of 
504,532  labor  changes  were  involved  in  the  maintenance,  and 
the  necessary  enlargement  or  curtailment,  of  a  labor  force  of 
211,768  workers.  This  means  that  the  maintenance  and  neces- 
sary expansion  or  curtailment  of  the  requisite  work  force  involved 
labor  changes  considerably  more  than  equivalent  to  a  complete 
annual  overturn  of  the  work  force.  This  is  as  if  during  one  year 
all  the  employees  had  left  their  jobs  and  a  complete  new  set  of 
work  people  had  taken  their  places.  It  appears  then  that  each 
year  on  the  average  the  number  of  persons  who  quit,  were  laid 
off,  or  discharged,  as  well  as  the  number  who  had  to  be  hired,  was 
much  larger  than  the  total  number  of  workers  on  the  force  at 
any  one  time. 

The  separation  rate  figures  in  Table  7  and  almost  invariably 
throughout  the  book  are  set  in  bold-face  type.1  An  examination 
of  these  figures  together  with  the  accession  and  flux  rates  (bearing 
in  mind  the  fact  that  a  flux  rate  of  2.00  represents  a  complete 
overturn  of  the  force)  will  show  that  in  five  of  the  ten  calendar 
years  represented  the  number  of  labor  changes  in  the  plants  re- 

lfrhis  is  done,  not  so  much  because  of  any  special  importance  attaching  to 
separations  as  compared  with  accessions  or  flux,  but  in  recognition  of  the  wide 
prevalence  of  the  conception  of  separations  as  turnover  and  the  common  habit 
among  employers  and  employment  managers  of  speaking  of  the  "percentage  of 
turnover"  as  signifying  the  number  of  separations  per  hundred  employees.  Since 
the  rates  per  full-year  worker,  as  computed  in  these  pages,  are  so  figured  as  to 
show  two  decimals,  it  at  once  will  be  evident  that  the  separation  rates  may  be 
read  directly  as  "percentages  of  turnover"  by  the  simple  expedient  of  omitting 
the  decimal  point.  Thus,  in  Table  7,  a  separation  rate  of  1.02  in  1910  is  the  same 
as  a  turnover  percentage  of  102.  The  same  method  of  translation  is  just  as  feas- 
ible for  those  who,  when  they  say  "percentage  of  turnover,"  mean  the  number  of 
replacements  per  hundred  employees. 


38  LABOR    TURNOVER  IN   INDUSTRY 

porting  has  been  more  than  equivalent  to  a  complete  overturn 
of  the  work  force;  that  is,  there  were  at  least  as  many  accessions 
and  at  least  as  many  separations  as  there  were  workers  on  the 
force.  Even  in  1915,  the  most  stable  year  of  the  decade,  there 
were  122,211  accessions  and  99,734  separations  entailed  in  the 
maintenance  and  enlargement  of  a  work  force  of  159,054  em- 
ployees. This  is  equivalent  to  a  complete  overturn  of  not  less 
than  63  per  cent  of  the  work  force  during  the  year.  In  1917-18, 
the  most  unstable  of  the  periods  shown,  631,173  accessions  and 
613,467  separations,  or  a  total  of  1,244,640  labor  changes  were  in- 
volved in  the  maintenance  and  enlargement  of  a  work  force  of 
305,901  workers.  This  is  equivalent  to  more  than  two  complete 
overturns  of  the  work  force  during  the  year. 

On  the  basis  of  the  unit  full-year  (3ooo-hour)  worker  the  situa- 
tion in  the  decade  reported  may  be  described  as  follows:  Through- 
out the  ten-year  period,  for  every  equivalent  3ooo-hour  worker 
in  the  aggregate  work  force,  there  were  on  the  average  more  than 
two  labor  changes  per  year.  In  1915,  the  period  of  least  insta- 
bility, there  were  about  one  and  a  half  labor  changes  for  each  full- 
year  worker.  In  the  war  period  1917-18  there  were  more  than 
four  labor  changes  for  each  full-year  worker  in  the  aggregate 
work  force.  This  is  as  if  during  these  twelve  months  all  the 
employees  had  left  their  jobs,  an  entirely  new  set  had  come  in 
to  fill  their  places,  and  afterwards  all  the  employees  in  this  second 
set  had  left  their  jobs  and  had  in  turn  been  fully  replaced  by  a 
third  set  of  workers. 

There  is  also  to  be  observed  in  Table  7  a  very  definite  tendency 
of  the  mobility  rates  to  vary  with  the  prevailing  industrial  situa- 
tion. This  tendency  is  brought  out  in  graphic  form  in  Chart  C, 
on  which  are  plotted  the  mobility  rates  shown  in  Table  7.  The 
influence  of  the  prevailing  business  and  industrial  situation  is 
indicated  in  the  chart  by  the  relatively  high  mobility  rates  for 
the  years  1913  and  1917-18,  years  of  great  industrial  activity,  and 
by  a  recession  in  the  rates  in  years  in  which  the  industrial  situa- 
tion has  been  less  favorable. 


GENERAL  EXTENT  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY       39 


3 


// 

u 


40  LABOR   TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 

Enormous  as  is  the  extent  of  establishment  labor  instability 
indicated  by  these  figures,  it  is  fair  to  assume  (and  this  assump- 
tion is  supported  by  a  good  deal  of  fragmentary  evidence)  that 
the  actual  situation  is  even  worse.  It  is  especially  probable 
that  the  labor  mobility  for  the  year  1919  is  actually  higher  than 
is  indicated  by  the  figures  shown  here,  since  the  number  of  estab- 
lishments upon  which  the  rates  are  based  is  rather  small  and 
includes  several  establishments  with  unusually  low  labor  mobility 
records.  The  (nearly)  500  establishments  from  which  the  Bureau 
of  Labor  Statistics  secured  labor  mobility  figures  have  neces- 
sarily been  the  concerns  which  had  the  figures  to  give,  that 
is  to  say,  concerns  which  had  given  rather  more  attention  than 
most  firms  to  their  force-maintenance  problems.  The  firms 
reporting  are  chiefly  concerns  which  had  more  or  less  centralized 
employment  systems  and  were  relatively  more  successful  in  the 
maintenance  of  a  stable  work  force.  In  such  establishments  the 
instability  is  not  likely  to  be  as  serious  as  in  the  general  run  of 
American  industrial  concerns,  which  as  a  rule  pay  little  or  no 
attention  to  the  flow  of  labor  in  and  out  and  which  give  very 
little  thought  to  its  control. 

The  replacement  or  turnover  numbers  and  rates  in  Table  7  are 
indicated  by  asterisks.  This  rate  of  replacement  or  turnover  is, 
as  has  already  been  explained,  the  rate  at  which  separating  em- 
ployees whose  places  must  be  filled  are  replaced  by  others.  Thus 
in  1910  persons  were  being  hired  at  a  rate  of  1.05  and  employees 
were  leaving  at  a  rate  of  i  .02  per  full-year  worker.  The  aggregate 
standard  work  force  was  obviously  undergoing  expansion,  and  all 
separating  employees  were  more  or  less  promptly  replaced.  The 
separation  rate,  therefore,  is  to  be  taken  as  the  replacement  rate. 
In  1914  the  situation  was  very  different.  Most  industrial  plants 
were  curtailing  operations.  The  result  was  an  accession  rate  of 
.81  and  a  separation  rate  of  .88.  In  these  circumstances  it  is 
obvious  that  not  all  the  separating  employees  were  replaced  — 
even  tardily  —  and  that  consequently  the  accession  rate  is  to  be 
taken  as  the  replacement  rate.  In  1914,  obviously,  not  all  of 


GENERAL   EXTENT   OF   LABOR   MOBILITY        41 

the  326,755  separating  employees  contributed  to  the  turnover 
as  that  word  is  here  understood.  There  were  only  300, 121  persons 
hired  during  that  year.  This  number  therefore  really  measures 
the  turnover,  because  this  is  the  number  of  abandoned  jobs  in 
which  there  were  replacements.  The  turnover  rate,  then,  is 
the  ratio  between  300,121  and  the  373,287  equivalent  full-year 
workers  who  constituted  the  work  force  during  the  time  within 
which  those  replacements  were  made.  The  excess  of  separations, 
amounting  in  1914  to  26,634,  involves  a  phase  of  labor  mobility 
not  included  in  turnover.  This  excess  shows  the  extent  to  which 
the  normal  work  force  was  diminished  during  1914  and,  in  relation 
to  the  number  of  full-year  workers,  as  already  explained,  it  is 
the  labor  decrease  rate;  the  corresponding  excess  of  accessions  in 
such  a  year  as  1918  is  the  labor  increase  rate.  In  years  like  1911 
and  1913  the  rates  of  accession  and  separation  are  practically 
equal,  and  it  would  be  a  matter  of  indifference  which  figure  were 
taken  to  measure  replacements.  Reference  to  the  actual  num- 
bers in  the  upper  part  of  the  table,  however,  shows  that  in  1911 
the  accessions  were  somewhat  less  numerous  and  therefore  most 
nearly  measured  replacements,  whereas  in  1913,  the  separations 
were  fewer  and  that  in  that  year,  therefore,  they  should  be 
identified  with  replacements. 

It  is  not  believed  that  the  replacement  figure  is  likely  to  contain 
non -replacement  items.  The  most  important  of  such  items  which 
might  be  thought  to  lurk  in  the  replacement  figure  are  those  cases 
of  non-replacement  brought  about  by  a  discontinuance  of  certain 
occupations,  either  because  of  the  shutdown  of  that  part  of  the 
plant  which  includes  those  occupations,  or  because  of  changes  in 
the  industrial  arts.  By  definition  the  replacement  rate  excludes 
all  such  cases,  which  by  the  very  process  of  discounting  gross 
separations  or  accessions  to  get  the  replacement  rate  are  auto- 
matically eliminated  along  with  other  unreplaced  separations. 
This  is  believed  to  be  true  of  either  an  expanding  or  a  contracting 
business.  The  margin  of  error  which  may  result  from  postponed 
replacements  (in  cases  where  new  employees  are  needed  but  per- 


42  LABOR   TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 

haps  not  actually  secured  for  a  considerable  period  after  the  sep- 
aration) is  not  believed  to  be  wide  enough  seriously  to  vitiate 
this  method.  Moreover,  this  possible  postponed-replacement 
error  is  almost  always  compensatory  —  replacements  not  actu- 
ally made  until  the  end  of  July  for  jobs  which  were  abandoned 
early  in  June  and  which  should  have  been  accounted  for  then 
are,  in  the  long  run,  balanced  by  similar  delayed  replacements 
carried  over  from  May  but  actually  accounted  for  in  June. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  replacement  rates  correspond  with 
accession  rates  when  the  accession  rates  are  lower  than  the  sepa- 
ration rates,  and  with  separation  rates  when  separation  rates  are 
lower  than  accession  rates,  it  follows  that  the  lowest  points  on 
Chart  C  must  mark  the  rate  and  trend  of  labor  replacement; 
that  is  to  say,  whichever  line  happens  to  be  the  lowest  is  the  re- 
placement line. 

In  general  throughout  the  ten-year  period  the  accessions  and 
separations  have  naturally  tended  to  balance  each  other  pretty 
closely,  although  they  show  slight  variations  reflecting  the  chang- 
ing industrial  conditions  from  year  to  year.  Over  the  whole 
decade  it  is  to  be  noted  that  the  accessions  appreciably  exceed  the 
separations,  indicating  a  net  increase  in  the  gainfully  employed 
population  and  just  about  such  a  normal  industrial  expansion  as 
would  naturally  be  expected. 


During  the  last  few  years  speculation  has  been  rife  as  to  the 
probable  aggregate  number  of  labor  changes  over  a  given  period 
in  all  the  industrial  establishments  of  the  country.  Interesting 
though  the  knowledge  of  these  facts  would  be,  and  even  if  all 
establishments  did  keep  labor  mobility  records,  the  task  of  gath- 
ering such  figures  would  be  such  a  stupendous  one  that  it  could 
scarcely  be  considered  seriously.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  to 
resort  to  estimates  based  on  a  careful  analysis  of  the  available 
labor  mobility  figures.  If,  then,  the  1919  mobility  rates  here 
reported  are  applied  to  the  factory  wage  earners  in  the  United 


GENERAL   EXTENT  OF  LABOR   MOBILITY       43 

States  in  that  year  as  shown  by  the  United  States  Census  of 
Manufactures  for  1919,  it  would  appear  that  the  9,096,372  wage 
earners  on  the  pay  rolls  that  year  must  have  meant  about  8,242,- 
ooo  accessions  and  about  7,703,000  separations,  or  a  total  of 
about  15,945,000  job  changes  during  that  year. 

NECESSARY  AND  UNNECESSARY  LABOR  CHANGES 

Repeated  attempts  have  been  made  in  the  last  few  years  to 
get  at  the  proportion  of  the  turnover  which  may  be  considered 
to  be  avoidable.  Such  a  separation  of  the  necessary  from  the 
unnecessary  replacement  has  been  undertaken  on  the  very 
natural  assumption  that  the  maintenance  of  the  working  force 
requires  the  hiring  of  only  a  certain  number  of  workmen  to  replace 
those  employees  who  have  left  for  unavoidable  reasons  (death, 
sickness,  discharge  for  manifest  unfitness,  etc.)  and  that  what- 
ever number  of  persons  is  found  to  be  required  over  and  above 
this  so-called  irreducible  minimum  —  which  has  been  estimated 
by  a  number  of  students  at  about  25  per  cent  of  the  work  force 
-  must  be  the  measure  of  unnecessary  replacement.  The  limits 
of  this  study  do  not  permit  a  full  discussion  of  the  question  as 
to  whether  or  not  the  data  on  labor  mobility  (which  phenom- 
enon, as  is  shown  elsewhere,  is  subject  to  constant  and  sometimes 
extreme  fluctuations)  can  be  so  simplified  as  to  express  in  exact 
figures  the  proportion  of  necessary  and  unnecessary  labor  replace- 
ment. Actually  to  apply  this  method  of  appraising  the  responsi- 
bility in  labor  replacement  to  industrial  establishments  as  they 
are,  presupposes  wholly  static  industrial  concerns,  with  unvarying 
amounts  of  employment  and  with  work  forces  composed  of  per- 
sons who  are  very  slightly,  if  at  all,  influenced  by  outside  indus- 
trial forces.  To  be  sure,  there  will  be  found  industrial  concerns 
which  can  offer  steady  employment  to  a  certain  small  number  of 
persons.  In  such  establishments  any  of  these  employees  leaving 
voluntarily  and  for  no  valid  reason  may  be  definitely  considered 
as  factors  in  the  unnecessary  labor  replacement.  But  it  would 
be  extremely  difficult  to  say  when  and  to  what  extent  the  great 


44 


LABOR    TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 


mass  of  employees  (who  are  at  the  mercy  of  labor  market  fluctua- 
tions) may  be  regarded  as  contributing  to  the  necessary  or  un- 
necessary labor  replacement. 

Bearing  these  limitations  in  mind  and   assuming  that  the 
strictly  necessary  part  of  the  replacement  amounts  to  25  per  cent 

TABLE 

NECESSARY  AND  UNNECESSARY 
By  years,  from  1910  to 


• 

LABOR  CH 
TAKE  ( 

ANGES  NECESSARY  TO 
ZARE  OF  WORK-FORCE 

YEAR 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL-YEAR 
WORKERS  » 

SEPARATING 
EMPLOYEES 
WHO  MUST 
BE  REPLACED 

PERSONS 
TAKEN  ON 
TO  FILL 
THEIR   PLACES 

IQIO 

8<  263 

21  3l6 

21  3l6 

IQII 

100  6^3 

27  /IT  3 

27  41  3 

IQI2 

188  16* 

47  OOI 

47  OOI 

1913          

300,440 

99,862 

90,862 

1913-14          

244,8l4 

6l,2O4 

6l,2O4 

1914          

373,287 

Q3,322 

03,322 

IQIC 

I  ^O  O?4 

30  764 

30  764. 

1016 

O4  80  3 

23  7OI 

23  7OI 

IQI7 

"\8  CK2 

14  ^13 

14  ^13 

IOI7—l8 

•3QC    OOI 

76  47"? 

76  47  <C 

IQl8 

^6  411 

14  IO3 

14.  IO3 

IQIQ 

42  6^2 

10  658 

10  658 

of  the  work  force  (an  assumption  whose  confirmation  requires 
much  further  investigation),  the  mobility  figures  of  any  firm  or 
group  of  firms  might  be  presented  in  such  a  way  to  show,  sepa- 
rately, the  necessary  and  unnecessary  labor  replacement.  This 
has  been  done  by  applying  this  correction  to  the  mobility  figures 
shown  in  Table  7;  the  resulting  figures  are  presented  in  Table  8.1 
To  show  how  the  extent  of  the  unnecessary  labor  changes  are 
calculated  the  following  example  is  cited:  According  to  the  fig- 

1  Reprinted  from  the  writers'   article  on   "Mobility  of  Industrial  Labor," 
35  Polit.  Sci.  Quar.  584  (Dec.  1920). 


GENERAL   EXTENT  OF  LABOR   MOBILITY        45 


tires  of  Table  7,  and  assuming  as  necessary  for  force  maintenance 
the  replacement  of  25  per  cent  of  the  work  force,1  the  main- 
tenance of  the  aggregate  work  force  of  305,901  employees  re- 
ported in  1917-18  should  have  acquired  only  76,475  replace- 
ments. In  addition  to  these  replacements  there  need  to  be 

8 

LABOR  CHANGES 

1919,  inclusive 


REPLACE  25%  or  FORCE  AND  TO 

"UNNECESSARY" 

EXPANSION  OR  CONTRACTION 

\; 

LABOR  CHANGES 

v 

ADDITIONAL  PER- 

v 

X 

SONS  TAKEN  ON 

X 

TOTAL  ACTUAL 

FOR  EXPANDING 
WORK  FORCE  (E) 
OR  ADDITIONAL 
PERSONS  SEPARAT- 
ING ON  ACCOUNT 

/  \ 

TOTAL 

NECESSARY 
LABOR 
CHANGES 

LABOR 

CHANGES  J 

NUMBER 

PER  CENT 
OF  TOTAL 
ACTUAL 
CHANGES 

YEAR 

OF  CURTAILING 

WORK  FORCE  (C)  « 

4,229  (E) 

46,861 

176,587 

129,726 

73 

1910 

2,886  (C) 

57,712 

190,944 

133,232 

70 

1911 

27,798  (E) 

121,980 

392,372 

270,392 

69 

1912 

6,628  (E) 

206,352 

1,076,864 

870,512 

81 

1913 

16,699  (C) 

139,107 

470,715 

331,608 

70 

1913-14 

26,634  (C) 

213,278 

626,876 

413,598 

66 

1914 

22,477  (E) 

102,005 

221,945 

119,940 

54 

I9IS 

30,198  (E) 

77,6oo 

232,402 

154,802 

67 

1916 

4,370  (E) 

33,396 

154,204 

120,808 

78 

1917 

I7,7o6  (E) 

170,656 

1,244,640 

1,073,984 

86 

1917-18 

12,919  (E) 

41,125 

182,917 

141,792 

7» 

1918 

2,651  (E) 

23,967 

74,85i 

50,884 

68 

1919 

considered  the  persons  required  to  take  care  of  the  expansion 
which  the  aggregate  work  force  underwent  during  the  period 
under  consideration.  The  amount  of  this  expansion  is  meas- 
ured by  the  excess  of  accessions  over  separations,  which  is  in 
this  case  17,706.  The  total  necessary  changes  were,  there- 

1  And  taking  for  granted,  of  course,  the  necessity  for  whatever  increase  or  de- 
crease changes  (accessions  or  separations,  as  the  case  may  be)  naturally  result 
from  the  (more  or  less)  permanent  extension  or  curtailment  of  industrial  operations. 

2  Figures  taken  from  Table  7. 

•Arithmetic  difference  between  accession  and  separation  figures  as  shown  in 
Table  7. 


46  LABOR    TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 

fore,  76,475  separations  requiring  replacement,  76,475  accessions 
for  this  replacement,  and  17,706  labor-increase  accessions,  or  a 
total  of  170,656  necessary  labor  changes.  Actually  there  were 
1,244,640  labor  changes.  The  difference  is  1,073,984,  which  is 
the  number  of  "unnecessary"  labor  changes.  Computing  the 
rates  corresponding  to  the  figures  just  given,  it  appears  that  the 
accession  rate  of  2.07  would  be  reduced  to  .33,  the  separation 
(here  the  replacement)  rate  of  2.01  to  .24,  and  the  flux  rate  of 
4.08  to  .57  if  only  the  strictly  necessary  labor  changes  were  made. 
If  the  same  rate  correction  be  applied  to  the  mobility  figures 
of  the  period  1913-14,  which,  unlike  1917-18,  was  a  time  of  in- 
dustrial depression,  the  rate  reductions  for  the  earlier  period 
would  be  as  follows:  accession  (here  also  the  replacement)  rate 
from  .93  to  .24,  separation  rate  from  .99  to  .30,  flux  rate  from 
1.92  to  .54.  The  figures  given  in  Table  8  show,  on  the  assumption 
that  not  more  than  25  per  cent  of  the  normal  work  force  ought 
to  have  been  replaced  during  the  year  to  maintain  that  force, 
that  most  of  the  job  shifting  is  unnecessary  shifting  and  that  this 
unnecessary  shifting  is  enormous  whether  the  period  be  one  of 
business  expansion  or  business  depression.  The  percentage  of 
unnecessary  labor  changes  ranges  from  54  per  cent  to  86  per  cent 
of  the  labor  changes  which  have  actually  taken  place.  The  pro- 
portion of  unnecessary  labor  changes  seems  to  be  greatest  in 
periods  of  marked  industrial  activity,  and  in  general  it  seems  to 
fluctuate  markedly  in  response  to  changes  in  industrial  conditions. 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  CERTAIN  LOCALITIES 

Attention  should  be  directed  to  the  fact  that  at  identical 
periods  of  time  there  may  be  considerable  variation  in  the  extent 
of  labor  mobility  in  different  localities.  This  will  depend  upon 
the  extent  of  industrial  activity,  and  the  opportunity  for  em- 
ployment for  particular  kinds  of  labor  in  the  same  locality.  It 
depends,  in  other  words,  upon  the  number  of  plants  in  the  same 
locality  competing  for  the  same  class  of  labor.  It  is  obvious  that 
many  workmen  will  be  attracted  to  any  locality  which  is  known 


GENERAL   EXTENT  OF   LABOR   MOBILITY        47 


TABLE  9 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  SPECIFIED  CITIES,  1913-14  AND  1917-18 
(1913-14:  84  establishments;  1917-18:  176  establishments) 


LOCALITY 

NUMBER 

OF 

ESTAB- 
LISH- 
MENTS 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL-YEAR 
WORKERS 

TOTAL 
LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

NUMBER  OF  LABOR  CHANGES 

ACCESSIONS 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

FLUX 

Boston     .      .      . 
Chicago  .     .     . 
Cincinnati     .     . 
Cleveland      .      . 
Detroit    .     .     . 
Milwaukee    . 
New  York     .     . 
San  Francisco     . 
Other  cities  . 

Total   .     .     . 

Boston     . 
Chicago  .     .     . 
Cincinnati     .      . 
Cleveland     .     . 
Detroit    .     .     . 
Milwaukee    .     . 
New  York     .     . 
San  Francisco    . 
Other  cities  .     . 

Total   .     .     . 

Boston    .     .     . 
Chicago  .     .     . 
Cincinnati     .     . 
Cleveland     .     . 
Detroit    .     .     . 
Milwaukee    . 
New  York     .     . 
San  Francisco     . 
Other  cities  .     . 

Total   .     .     . 

IQI3-I4 

17 
17 
3 
5 
14 

2 

9 

17 

35,131 
63,788 
1,756 
4,496 
31,479 
i,597 
35,684 

70,883 

105,393 
191,364 
5,268 
13,488 
94,437 
4,79i 
107,052 

212,649 

20,059 
76,299 
2,174 
3,837 
44,937 
780 
22,659 

56,263 

19,712 
83,708 

2,001 
3,855 
48,494 
1,228 
22,964 

6l,745 

39,771 
160,007 

4,175 
7,692 

93,431 
2,008 
45,623 

118,008 

84 

244,814 

734,442 

227,008 

243,707 

470,715 

1917-18 

28 
27 
38 
48 

21 
14 

110,381 
18,699 

43,654 
92,281 
26,666 

14,220 

33i,i43 
56,097 
130,962 
276,843 
79,998 

42,660 

182,931 

30,917 
110,994 
211,928 
56,894 

37,509 

177,210 
29,704 
108,157 
207,128 
56,130 

35,138 

360,141 
60,621 
219,151 
419,056 
113,024 

72,647 

I76 

305,901 

917,703 

631,173 

613,467 

1,244,640 

RATES  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

ACCESSION 

SEPARATION 

FLUX 

ACCESSION 

SEPARATION 

FLUX 

1913-14 

1917-18 

•57 

1.20 
1.23 

.84 
1.44 
.48 
.63 

.78 

•57 
1.32 
1.14 
.87 
'•53 
.78 
.64 

^87 

1.14 
2.52 
2-37 
1.71 
2.97 
1.26 
1.27 

1.65 

1.65 

1.65 
2-55 
2.31 
2.13 

2.64 

1.62 

1-59 
2.49 
2.25 
2.IO 

2.46 

3-27 
3-24 
5-04 
4.56 
4-23 

5-10 

•93 

.99 

1.92 

2.07 

2.01 

4-08 

48  LABOR    TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 

to  offer  good  employment  opportunities.  Some  of  these  work- 
men will,  of  course,  prove  to  be  neither  stable  rior  desirable.  The 
labor  mobility  in  the  principal  cities  in  which  investigations  were 
made  is  shown  in  Table  9. 

It  is  evident  that  Chicago  and  Detroit,  in  the  1 2-month 
period  1913-14,  although  it  was  a  period  of  industrial  de- 
pression, had  mobility  rates  considerably  higher  than  the  av- 
erage. In  the  light  of  the  mobility  rates  for  different  industries, 
shown  in  Table  10,  it  would  seem  that,  in  the  case  of  Detroit, 
this  must  be  due  to  the  considerable  representation  of  auto- 
mobile establishments  in  the  figures  shown.  This  industry  under- 
went a  remarkable  growth  during  that  period  and  was,  rel- 
atively, less  affected  by  the  industrial  depression.  In  the  case 
of  Chicago,  it  is  the  figures  of  the  slaughtering  and  meat-packing 
industry  which  boost  the  mobility  rates.  In  the  period  of  1917- 
18  the  outstanding  facts  are  the  high  mobility  rates  shown  for 
Cleveland,  Detroit,  and  San  Francisco.  In  these  three  cities 
the  extent  of  war-manufacturing  activities  was  unusually  great 
and  the  competition  for  labor  was  very  keen.  In  both  Cleveland 
and  Detroit  the  highest  mobility  was  found  in  the  purely  indus- 
trial establishments  which  are  typical  of  the  two  cities,  namely, ' 
those  chiefly  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  metal  products, 
machinery,  automobiles  and  automobile  parts.  In  San  Francisco 
the  unusual  labor  shifting  was  most  largely  due  to  the  enormous 
war-time  expansion  of  shipbuilding  operations  on  the  Pacific  Coast 
and  the  appeal  of  the  war  wages  offered  to  all  comers  in  the 
shipyards,  not  only  of  San  Francisco  Bay  but  also  of  Portland, 
Tacoma,  Seattle,  and  Los  Angeles. 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  DIFFERENT  INDUSTRY   GROUPS 

In  Tables  10  a  and  10  b  the  mobility  figures  for  the  two  periods, 
1913-14  and  1917-18,  are  classified  by  industry  groups,  and  the 
same  data  are  presented  in  graphic  form  in  Chart  D.1 

1  Tables  and  chart  reprinted,  after  recalculation  of  rates,  from  "Mobility  of 
labor  in  American  industry,"  10  Mo.  Labor  Rev.,  1349-1351. 


GENERAL   EXTENT   OF   LABOR   MOBILITY        49 


Both  the  tabular  and  graphic  arrays  show  the  general  increase 
of  the  mobility  rates  of  the  war  years  over  those  of  the  pre-war 
period  and  throw  interesting  side  lights  upon  the  influence  of  the 

CHART  D.    COMPARISON  OF  LABOR  FLUX  RATES  IN  WAR  AND  PRE-WAR  PERIODS 
(Unit:  One  labor  change  per  full-year  worker.) 


INDUSTRY  GROUP 


Labor  Flux  Rate 
1.5  3.0  4.5 


6.0 


All  Industries 

Public  Utilities:  Gas  and  Electricity 

"         "        Street  Railways 

"         "        Telephone  Service- 
Clothing  and  Textiles  Mfg.- — 

Printing  and  Publishing 

Mercantile  Establishments 

Miscellaneous  Metal  Products  Mfg.~ 

MachineryMfg. — 

Chemical  Industries  and  Refineries -- 

Leather  and  Rubber  Goods — 

Automobiles  and  Parts— 

Slaughtering  and  Meat  Packing 


war  upon  certain  industries.  Among  the  industry  groups  here 
represented  those  which  were  most  immediately  affected  by  the 
necessity  for  articles  of  war  are:  automobiles  and  parts,  chemical 


LABOR    TURNOVER   IN   INDUSTRY 


industries,  leather  and  rubber  goods,  machinery  manufacturing, 
miscellaneous  metal  products,  and  slaughtering  and  meat  packing. 
All  of  these  groups,  with  one  exception,  show  a  decided  increase 


TABLE 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  SPECIFIED  INDUSTRY 
[Replacement  (or  "turnover")  numbers 


INDUSTRY  GROUP 

NUMBER  OF 
ESTABLISH- 
MENTS 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL  -YEAR 
WORKERS 

TOTAL  LABOR 
HOURS  (THOU- 
SANDS) 

1913-14 

Automobiles  and  parts 

iq 

22,780 

O7  I4O 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 
Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

3 
6 

2,900 
24.  84.2 

8,700 
74  ^26 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

6 

14  2IO 

4.2  6^O 

Machinery  mfg. 

16 

36,800 

no  670 

Mercantile  establishments       .... 
Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg.    .     . 
Printing  and  publishing 

5 
20 
e 

16,543 
63,797 

5,566 

49,629 
191,391 

1  6  608 

Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 
Street  railways     . 
Telephone  service 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing    .     . 

I 
3 

2 
2 

650 
i5,54o 
21,801 
9,695 

i,95o 
46,620 

65,403 
29,085 

Total                          .     . 

84 

244,814 

734.,44.2 

1917-18 

Automobiles  and  parts       .     .  ^   .     .     . 
Chemical  industries  and  refineries 
Clothing  and  textile  mfg  
Furniture  and  millwork      
Leather  and  rubber  goods       .... 
Machinery  mfg  

3° 
15 

8 
3 
4 
•zi 

96,856 

15,754 
10,794 
2,300 
5,020 

37  ,C22 

290,568 
47,262 
32,382 
6,900 
15,060 
112X96 

Mercantile  establishments       .... 
Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg.    . 
Printing  and  publishing     
Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 
Street  railways     . 
Telephone  service 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing    .     .     . 

7 
45 
5 
10 

4 
10 

4 

24,124 

32,682 
1,940 
18,908 
9,928 

21,338 
28,725 

72,372 
98,046 
5,820 
56,724 
29,784 
64,014 

86,175 

Total   

176 

305,901 

QI7,7O3 

\ 


in  the  mobility  rates  of  the  war  over  those  of  the  pre-war  period. 
The  rates  of  the  slaughtering  and  meat-packing  group  show  only 
a  slight  decrease.  This  is  not  surprising  in  view  of  the  fact 


GENERAL   EXTENT   OF   LABOR   MOBILITY        51 

that  the  mobility  rate  for  this  group  in  1913-14  was  already 
more  than  twice  as  great  as  the  rate  for  all  groups  combined. 
It  might  be  of  interest  to  recall  here  the  unusual  labor  situation 

10  a 

GROUPS,  1913-14  AND  1917-18 

are  marked  by  asterisks  (*)] 


NUMBER  or  LABOR  CHANGES 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

ACCESSIONS 

SEPARATIONS 

FLUX 

1913-14 

50>564* 

52,172 

102,736 

Automobiles  and  parts 

3,447 

3,024* 

6,471 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

* 
I5>7I5 

16,492 

32,207 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

22,497 

19,123* 

41,620 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

29,465* 

40,126 

69,591 

Machinery  mfg. 

n,903 

10,964* 

22,867 

Mercantile  establishments 

*t. 

52,313 

59,551 

111,864 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 

3,85i 

3,679* 

7,530 

Printing  and  publishing 

91* 

202 

293 

Public  utilities  :  Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 

4,094* 

4,346 

8,440 

Street  railways 

8,465* 

10,786 

19,251 

Telephone  service 

24,603 

23,242* 

47,845 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing 

227,008* 

243,707 

470,715 

Total 

1917-18 

222,954 

220,475* 

443,429 

Automobiles  and  parts 

46,880 

39,622* 

86,502 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

13,687* 

15,227 

28,914 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

5,727* 

7,036 

12,763 

Furniture  and  millwork 

12,119* 

12,393 

24,512 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

62,085 

59,782* 

121,867 

Machinery  mfg. 

33,165* 

34,879 

68,044 

Mercantile  establishments 

104,127 

3,433* 

99,006* 
3,655 

203,133 
7,088 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing 

25,905* 

26,661 

52,566 

Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 

8,062* 

9,623 

17,685 

Street  railways 

19,740* 

21,864 

41,604 

Telephone  service 

73,289 

63,244* 

136,533 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing 

631,173 

613,467* 

1,244,640 

Total 

created  by  the  war  period  and  the  influence  which  it  had  upon 
labor  mobility.  War-time  necessities  forced  far-reaching  changes 
in  the  character  of  the  product  manufactured  as  well  as  in 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


the  manufacturing  processes.  Plants  producing  war  materials 
enormously  expanded  their  operations.  The  Government  itself 
was  forced  to  expand  its  own  industrial  establishments  to  an 
unheard-of  degree  and  entered  into  industrial  fields  which  it  had 
never  been  in  before.  The  expansion  due  to  war  necessities 
required  enormous  numbers  of  work  people  and  made  necessary 
the  very  rapid  training  of  relatively  inexperienced  persons  who 

TABLE 
LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  SPECIFIED  INDUSTRY 

[Replacement  (or  "turnover")  rates 
1913-14 


RATE  ] 

>ER  FULL-YEAR  V 

/ORKER  OF 

ACCESSION 

SEPARATION 

FLUX 

Automobiles  and  parts       
Chemical  industries  and  refineries 
Clothing  and  textile  mfg  
Furniture  and  millwork      • 
Leather  and  rubber  goods        .... 
^Machinery  mfg 

1.56* 
i.  20 
•63* 

'i?* 

1.62 
1.05* 

.66 

i7s* 

i  08 

3.18 
2.25 
1.29 

2.94 

I  89 

Mercantile  establishments       .... 
Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg.    . 
Printing  and  publishing      .      .      .      .      . 
Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electric  mfg. 
Street  railways     .      . 
Telephone  service      .      . 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing    .     .     . 

fr 

.69 

•is* 
.27* 

•39* 
2-55 

.66* 

•93 
.66* 
•30 
•27* 
.48 
2.40* 

1.38 

1.74 

1-35 
•45 
•54 
.87 
4-95 

Total       .     . 

03* 

oo 

I  02 

in  many  instances  were  found  to  be  ill  adapted  to  factory  work. 
There  was  a  withdrawal  of  a  very  large  number  of  men  for  mili- 
tary purposes.  This  military  mobilization  affected  especially 
those  industries  which  employed  males  entirely  or  to  a  large 
extent.  Women  entered  into  industries  in  larger  numbers  and 
into  some  industries  which  had  not  hitherto  employed  women. 
The  differentiation  of  industries  into  essential  and  non-essential 
classes  and  the  promulgation  of  the  " work  or  fight"  order  caused 
large  numbers  of  men  employed  in  non-essential  industries  to 
leave  their  employment  and  seek  jobs  in  plants  carrying  on  work 


GENERAL  EXTENT  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY 


53 


essential  to  the  prosecution  of  the  war.  Under  this  ruling  inex- 
perienced people,  overestimating  their  capabilities,  tried  to  qualify 
for  experienced  men's  places  and  accepted  jobs  which  they  soon 
found  out  they  could  not  fill. 

On  account  of  the  unusual  industrial  expansion  during  the  war 
period  the  labor  supply  became  very  limited  and  resulted  in  keen 
competition  among  individual  manufacturers.  After  a  time  the 

10  & 

GROUPS,  1913-14  AND  1917-18 

are  marked  by  asterisks  (*)] 

1917-18 


RATE  PER  FULL-  YEAR  WORKER  OF 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

ACCESSION 

SEPARATION 

FLUX 

2.31 

2.28* 

4-59 

Automobiles  and  parts 

2.97 

2.52* 

5-49 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

1.26* 

1.41 

2.67 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

2.49* 

3.06 

5-55 

Furniture  and  millwork 

2.40* 

2.46 

4.86 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

1.65 

1.59* 

3-24 

Machinery  mfg. 

1.38* 

1.44 

2.82 

Mercantile  establishments 

3-i8 

3.03* 

6.21 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 

1-77* 

1.89 

3-66 

Printing  and  publishing 

1.38* 

1.41 

2.79 

Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electric  mfg. 

.81* 

.96 

1.77 

Street  railways 

•93* 

i.  02 

i-95 

Telephone  service 

2-55 

2.19* 

4-74 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing 

2.07 

2.01* 

4.08 

Total 

competition  for  labor  became  so  sharp  that  labor  recruiting 
methods  developed  which  were  characterized  as  being  "  destruc- 
tive." The  unusual  industrial  situation  created  a  peculiar  war 
psychology,  causing  a  good  deal  of  restlessness  among  work 
people  generally.  The  individual  workman,  becoming  aware 
of  the  growing  scarcity  of  labor  and  of  the  keen  competition  for 
his  labor,  was  naturally  quick  to  take  advantage  of  the  favorable 
employment  situation  by  constantly  seeking  jobs  which  would 
pay  more  or  in  which  the  general  conditions  of  employment 
were  more  to  his  liking. 


54  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

In  respect  to  the  labor  situation  during  the  war,  the  employ- 
ment manager  of  a  machine-tool  manufacturing  establishment 
reports  that  "  Probably  the  chief  cause  of  labor  turnover  at  this 
time,  particularly  among  machine  tool  industries,  is  the  fact  that 
a  man  tries  to  go  where  he  can  get  the  highest  pay,  coupled  with 
the  fact  that  manufacturers  are  bidding  against  each  other  for 
labor."  And  he  adds  that  "the  second  and  perhaps  equally 
important  cause  of  turnover  in  the  machine  tool  trade  is  the  fact 
that  very  recently  a  very  large  number  of  men  have  been  forced 
either  by  the  'Work  or  Fight'  law  or  by  the  necessity  of  earning 
larger  money  to  leave  the  non-mechanical  occupations  and  seek 
work  in  machine  shops."  These  men,  he  says  further, "  are  wholly 
unfamiliar  with  our  work,  have  never  been  accustomed  to  grease, 
dirt,  and  noise,  and  very  naturally  find  the  work  somewhat 
unpleasant.  It  is  quite  natural  for  them  to  think  that  the  one 
shop  they  go  to  first  is  probably  worse  than  any  other,  and  if 
slightly  encouraged  in  this  opinion  by  a  smooth-tongued  employ- 
ment man  of  another  shop,  they  are  likely  to  jump  from  one 
place  to  another,  hoping  that  they  will  find  less  grease  and  dirt." 

RELATION   BETWEEN   SIZE   OF  ESTABLISHMENT  AND   LABOR 

MOBILITY 

To  undertake  to  show  some  definite  relationship  between  the 
size  of  the  establishment  and  labor  mobility,  detailed  figures 
regarding  the  labor_cJiajages  were  so  arranged  as  to  show  the 
mobility  rates  of  establishments  with  less  than  a  thousand  em- 
ployees, of  those  having  one  thousand  and  under  five  thousand, 
and  of  those  with  five  thousand  employees  and  more.  They  are 
shown  in  Table  n.1 

—  These  figures  in  the  main  indicate  a  downward  trend  in  mo- 
bility rates  as  the  size  of  the  establishment  increases.  It  has  not 
been  possible  to  ascertain  the  exact  reason  for  the  relatively 
lower  rates  in  the  larger  establishments,  though  it  is  conceivable 

1  See  also  Table  25,  in  which  quitting,  lay-off  and  discharge  rates  are  shown  for 
different  sizes  of  plant. 


GENERAL  EXTENT  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY 


55 


that  among  the  factors  influencing  the  stability  were  the  possi- 
bility of  the  larger  establishments  offering  steadier  work,  rela- 
tively higher  earnings,  and  better  employment  conditions  gen- 
erally. Lower  rates  might  also  indicate  the  efficiency  of  the 

TABLE  11 
RELATION  BETWEEN  SIZE  OF  ESTABLISHMENT  AND  LABOR  STABILITY, 

1913-14   AND    1917-18 


NUMBER  OF  EMPLOYEES 

NUMBER 

OF 

ESTAB- 
LISH- 
MENTS 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL- 
YEAR 
WORKERS 

TOTAL 
LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

NUMBER  OF  LABOR  CHANGES 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

SEPA- 
RATIONS 

FLUX 

Under  1,000 
1,000  and  under  5,000 
5,000  and  over 

Total   .... 

Under  1,000     .     .     . 
1,000  and  under  5,000 
5,000  and  over       .     . 

Total   .... 

Under  1,000      .     .     . 
1,000  and  under  5,000 
5,000  and  over       .      . 

Total   .... 

1913-14 

35 
36 
13 

20,257 
95,690 
128,867 

60,771 
287,070 
386,601 

30,517 
82,611 
113,880 

28,275 
87,562 
127,870 

58,792 
170,173 
241,750 

84 

244,814 

734,442 

227,008 

243,707 

470,715 

1917-18 

109 
54 
13 

51,832 
114,019 
140,050 

155,496 
342,057 
420,150 

137,147 
249,362 
244,664 

132,142 
240,095 
241,230 

269,289 
489,457 
485,894 

176 

305,901 

917,703 

631,173 

613,467 

1,244,640 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

ACCES- 
SION 

SEPARA- 
TION 

FLUX 

ACCES- 
SION 

SEPARA- 
TION 

FLUX 

1913-14 

1917-18 

1.50 
.87 
.87 

1.41 
.90 
.99 

2.91 
1.77 
1.86 

2.64 
2.19 
1.74 

2-55 
2.10 
I.7I 

5.19 
4.29 

3-45 

-93 

.99 

1.92 

2.07 

2.01 

4.08 

employment  department  and  the  influence  of  service  and  welfare 
activities,  which  are  generally  carried  on  more  extensively  by 
the  larger  establishments. 

It  should  also  be  observed  that  in  the  larger  establishments 
there  must  be  many  inter-departmental  changes  which  are  not 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


included  in  the  figures  presented  here.  This  is  one  reason  why 
the  flux  rate  is  lower  in  the  large  concerns.  Obviously  the  number 
of  such  interior  labor  changes  is  smaller,  both  absolutely  and 
relatively,  in  the  small  than  in  the  large  establishments.  The 
small  single-department  concern  must  recruit  virtually  all  its 
new  labor  from  outside  accessions.  The  inter-departmental 
labor  shift  is  in  some  cases  quite  as  much  a  sign  of  labor  insta- 
bility as  if  the  shift  were  from  one  employing  firm  to  another 
employing  firm. 

In  connection  with  the  subject  of  the  general  extent  of  labor 
mobility,  brief  reference  should  be  made  to   some  particular 

TABLE  12 

NUMBER  OF  EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  SERVICE  WITHIN  12  MONTHS  or  WHEN  THEY 
WERE  HIRED,  BY  INDUSTRY  GROUPS,  YEAR  ENDING  MAY  31,  1918 l 


INDUSTRY  GROUP 

NUMBER  OF 
ESTAB- 
LISHMENTS 

PERSONS  HIRED  DURING  YEAR 

TOTAL 
NUMBER 

LEFT  WITHIN  i  YEAR 

NUMBER 

PER  CENT 
OF  TOTAL 

Automobiles  and  parts,  mfg.   . 
Chemical  industries  and  refineries 
Clothing  and  textile  manufacturing   . 
Furniture  and  millwork      .... 
Machinery  "manufacturing 
Mercantile  establishments  (wholesale 
and  retail)       

5 
3 
3 

I 

13 
3 
13 

2 

I 
I 

8 

12,659 

10,743 
6,771 
3)4io 
20,881 

1,931 

15,803 
749 

i,585 
3,058 
15,616 

8,230 
8,230 

4,799 
2,681 
14,121 

1,306 

13,053 
5i8 

721 
1,150 
9,949 

65 
77 
7i 
79 
68 

68 

83 
69 

45 
38 
64 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  manu- 
facturing   

Printing  and  publishing     .... 
Public  utilities: 

Total     

53 

93,206 

64,758 

69 

phases  of  the  mobility  situation  having  to  do  with  the  accession 

of  employees.    One  of  these  is  the  relation  of  the  newly  hired 

employee  to  labor  mobility.    How  many  employees  hired  within 

1  Reprinted  from  35  Polit.  Sci.  Quar.  594. 


GENERAL  EXTENT  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY          57 

any  particular  twelve-month  period  are  still  to  be  found  in  the 
firm's  employ  at  the  end  of  that  period?  An  answer  to  this  ques- 
tion is  given  by  the  figures  presented  in  Table  12,  which  shows  by 
industry  groups  the  proportion  of  the  year's  recruits  who  left 
'before  they  had  served  a  year. 

This  table  furnished  a  striking  illustration  of  the  short  periods 
for  which  jobs  have  been  held  by  the  newly  hired  employees  dur- 
ing the  war  period  and  the  rapidity  with  which  they  vacate  them. 
Of  the  93,206  persons  hired  during  the  year  ending  May  21,  1918, 
64,758,  or  69  per  cent,  left  before  they  had  served  one  year.  The 
most  stable  recruits  were  those  hired  by  the  street  railways,  only 
38  per  cent  of  whom  left  before  serving  one  year.  The  most 
unstable  recruits  were  those  hired  by  miscellaneous  metal  prod- 
ucts manufacturing  establishments,  83  per  cent  of  whom  left  be- 
fore they  had  served  one  year.  Two  other  phases  of  the  acces- 
sion situation  which  must  be  touched  upon  are  the  proportion 
of  rehirings  among  the  total  accessions,  and  the  relation  between 
the  number  of  applicants  and  the  number  of  available  jobs,  on 
the  one  hand,  and  to  the  number  actually  hired  on  the  other  hand. 
The  number  of  accessions  shown  heretofore  does  not  indicate 
the  number  of  different  individuals  hired,  since  the  accessions 
represent  the  total  number  of  accessions  in  a  given  period  and  in- 
clude original  hirings  as  well  as  subsequent  rehirings.  Figures  on 
the  extent  of  rehirings  were  obtained  by  examination  of  the  serv- 
ice records  of  employees  on  the  pay  rolls  of  six  establishments  at 
the  end  of  1915.  They  are  shown  in  Table  13. 

These  figures  show  that  the  hiring  of  44,166  individuals  in- 
volved 61,225  hirings  and  rehirings  (repeated  transactions), 
with  a  resultant  increase  in  the  number  of  accession  transactions 
by  nearly  40  per  cent.  Of  the  44,166  individual  employees 
taken  on,  more  than  76  per  cent  had  been  hired  once  only,  15 
per  cent  had  been  hired  twice,  over  5  per  cent. had  been  hired 
three  times,  more  than  2  per  cent  four  times,  and  about  one  and 
one-half  per  cent  had  been  hired  and  rehired  more  than  five 
times.  Among  the  employees  under  observation  here  the  highest 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


number  of  hirings  and  rehirings  was  eleven,  involving,  however, 
only  two  employees  out  of  more  than  forty-four  thousand. 

TABLE  13 

NUMBER  OF  EMPLOYEES  HIRED  BY  SAME  ESTABLISHMENT  SPECIFIED  NUMBER 

OF  TIMES  l 

(1915.    Six  establishments  reporting) 


NUMBER  OF  TIMES  HIRED 

EMPLOYEES  HIRED  SPECIFIED 
NUMBER  or  TIMES 

NUMBER  OF 
REHIRINGS 
INVOLVED 

TOTAL  NUMBER 
OF  HIRINGS 
AND  REHIRINGS 
INVOLVED 

NUMBER 

PER  CENT 
DISTRIBUTION 

I        ...... 

33,765 
6,444 

2,353 
940 
412 
143 
65 
25 

12 

5 

2 

76.45 
14-59 
5-33 
2.13 
•93 
•32 
•15 
.06 

•03 
.01 

a 

o 
6,444 
4,706 
2,820 
1,648 
715 
390 
175 
96 
45 
20 

33,765 
12,888 

7,058 
3,76o 
2,060 
858 
455 

200 

108 
So 

22 

6       .     .     .     .     .     . 

8      

Total     .... 

44,166 

IOO.OO 

17,059 

6l,22S 

The  figures  shown  in  Table  14  are  the  result  of  a  special  study 
of  the  correlation  between  length  of  time  and  the  extent  of  hiring 
and  rehiring.  They  demonstrate  that,  as  the  period  within  which 
employees  had  been  hired  specified  number  of  times  increases, 
there  is  a  corresponding  increase  of  the  number  of  rehirings, 
but  that  when  the  maximum  period  of  this  continuous  service 
within  which  employees  had  been  hired  specified  number  of  times 
extends  beyond  the  lo-year  mark  there  is  a  noticeable  and 
decided  drop  in  the  extent  of  rehiring. 

The  figures  concerning  the  number  of  applicants  for  jobs  are 
based  upon  the  records  of  eight  establishments  which  kept  ac- 

1  Figures  obtained  by  examination  of  the  service  records  of  the  44,166  employees 
on  the  pay  rolls  of  the  six  establishments  at  the  end  of  1915. 
^Less  than  .01  per  cent. 


GENERAL  EXTENT  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY 


59 


count  of  the  number  of  applicants  for  a  longer  or  shorter  period 
between  1912  and  1919  and  indicate  that  with  an  aggregate  num- 
ber of  workers  amounting  to  122,973  there  were  1,041,475  ap- 
plicants, of  which  number  145,509,  or  14  per  cent,  were  actually 

TABLE  14 

NUMBER  OF  EMPLOYEES  ON  PAY  ROLL  OF  THREE  ESTABLISHMENTS  WHO  HAD 
BEEN  HIRED  SPECIFIED  NUMBER  OF  TIMES,  CLASSIFIED  ACCORDING  TO  THE 
LENGTH  OF  TIME  WITHIN  WHICH  THE  HIRINGS  AND  REHIRINGS  TOOK  PLACE,1 

1915 

(3  establishments  reporting) 


NUMBER 
OF  YEARS 

NUMBER  c*  EMPLOYEES  WHO  HAD  BEEN  HIRED 

WITHIN 

WHICH 

HIRINGS 

2 

•    3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

Q 

IO 

ii 

OCCURRED 

TIMES 

TIMES 

TIMES 

TIMES 

TIMES 

TIMES 

TIMES 

TIMES 

TIMES 

TIMES 

I 

527 

32 

3 

2 

551 

123 

31 

3 

3 

456 

164 

71 

17 

4 

4 

325 

171 

52 

24 

9 

2 

5 

201 

130 

45 

29 

6 

5 

I 

6 

157 

102 

48 

28 

IS 

i 

I 

i 

7 

94 

75 

42 

20 

8 

5 

2 

9 

58 

3i 

22 

14 

2 

3 

I 

9 

58 

57 

35 

2O 

8 

5 

I 

I 

I 

I 

10 

46 

32 

21 

IO 

4 

6 

5 

ii 

19 

19 

5 

I 

2 

2 

12 

13 

7 

2 

13 

5 

5 

I 

I 

I 

I 

14 

10 

4 

2 

I 

IS 

3 

4 

I 

2 

Over  15 

10 

5 

2 

I 

hired.  This  means,  in  other  words,  that  for  each  person  hired 
for  a  job  there  were  more  than  seven  persons  applying  for  that 
job. 

The  employment  manager  of  a  machinery  manufacturing  estab- 
lishment reports  that  in  order  to  obtain  500  employees,  during 
the  year  ending  May  31,  1918,  it  was  necessary  to  hire  at  least 
1500,  only  a  third  of  whom  showed  up  ready  to  go  to  work  on 

1  Based  on  individual  service  records  of  the  13,281  employees  on  the  pay  rolls 
of  the  three  establishments  at  the  end  of  1915. 


60  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

the  appointed  day.  He  remarks  that  the  "others  apparently 
were  floaters,  who  drifted  from  one  shop  to  another  and  accepted 
jobs  only  from  the  highest  bidders.  Often  when  we  thought  that 
we  had  hired  a  sufficient  number  of  men,  we  would  find  the  next 
day  that  only  one  or  two  out  of  eight  or  ten  showed  up  to  go  to 
work." 


CHAPTER  V 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS  AND  IN  SEPARATE 
GROUPS  WITHIN  THE  WORK  FORCE 

IN  the  figures  which  have  been  shown  heretofore  labor  insta- 
bility was  traced  largely  to  seasonal,  cyclical,  and  other  fluctua- 
tions in  industrial  activity.  It  must  be  pointed^pjflt^  however, 
that  the  extent  of  labor  mobility^at  any  given  time  is  quite" differ- 
enTin  different  mdustria^stablis^me^js^nd  in  dSSerent  occu- 
pations and  other  groups  within  those^  establishments^ —  and 
this  some^at  irjiei^^ 

c^nditib^rjQ£theje_jnany  factors  which  might,  in fhiftnrg^ the 
extent  of  mobility  in  individual  establishments  a_few  of  the  more 
important  ones,  in  so Jajrj^Jhey_can  readily  be  determined  and 
classified,  may  briefly  be  set_down  here:  (i)  The  particular  char- 
acter of  the  industry;  whether  it  can  offer  relatively  steady  work 
or  whether  it  is  subject  to  highly  seasonal  variations  in  employ- 
ment. (2)  Character  of  the  labor  force  —  that  is,  the  extent  to 
which  an  establishment  employs  males  and  females,  unskilled, 
semi-skilled,  or  skilled  workers;  or  whether  the  working  force 
consists  largely  of  clerical  employees  or  of  persons  engaged  in 
non-mechanical  occupations.  (3)  The  general  conditions  of 
employment:  wages,  hours  of  work,  etc.:  the  particular  nature 
of  the  work;  that  is,  whether  or  not  it  is  generally  disagreeable 
and  involves  exposure  to  dampness,  noxious  odors,  great  heat, 
dust,  etc.  (4)  The  effectiveness  of  all  efforts  of  the  manage- 
ment to  overcome  purely  industrial  influences  and  the  more 
personal  desires  of  individual  workmen  to  change  jobs.  The 
influence  upon  individual  establishments  and  upon  special  groups 
within  the  work  force  of  the  various  factors  enumerated  here 
will  be  discussed  and  illustrated  in  the  pages  immediately 
following. 

61 


62  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS    ' 

The  mobility  rates  which  have  been  shown  up  to  this  point 
are  group  rates  in  which  are  merged  the  individual  plant  figures 
of  a  large  number  of  establishments.  They  do  not  indicate  the 
extent  of  existing  variations  in  the  mobility  figures  of  the  different 
establishments  making  up  the  group.  The  forces  and  condi- 
tions determining  the  extent  to  which  labor  changes  take  place 
in  individual  establishments  are  extremely  varied  and  numerous, 
as  was  pointed  out  above,  and  they  operate  differently  upon 
different  establishments.  Only  very  exhaustive  inquiries  could 
reveal  which  of  many  factors  involved  is  particularly  responsi- 
ble for  the  special  virulence  or  mildness,  as  the  case  may  be,  of 
instability  in  particular  establishments.  The  rates  in  Table  15 
register  the  net  general  effect  which  all  the  factors  of  influence  have 
had  on  labor  instability  in  the  industrial  establishments  studied. 

In  the  period  1913-14  the  establishment  mobility  rates  are 
bunched  in  the  lower  groups;  in  the  period  1917-18  the  rates  are 
less  concentrated  but  more  evenly  distributed,  having  quite  a 
large  representation  even  in  the  high  rate  groups.  Thus  the  flux 
rate  of  1.92  for  the  84  establishments  covered  in  1913-14  is  dis- 
tributed among  32  per  cent  of  the  establishments  having  a  flux 
rate  of  1.20  and  under,  26  per  cent  having  a  rate  of  1.20  to  2.40, 
23  per  cent  a  rate  of  over  2.40  to  3.60,  and  19  per  cent  of  the 
establishments  having  a  flux  rate  of  over  3.60.  In  the  period 
1917-18  the  flux  rate  of  176  establishments  was  4.08  and  there 
was  a  corresponding  moving  up  of  the  establishments  into  the 
higher  flux  rate  groups.  In  that  period  there  were  only  3  per 
cent  of  the  establishments  having  a  flux  rate  of  1.20  and  under, 
while  1 6  per  cent  had  a  rate  of  over  1.20  to  2.40,  20  per  cent  a 
rate  of  over  2.40  to  3.60,  and  61  per  cent  a  rate  of  over  3.60.  A 
corresponding  movement  upward  is  observable  in  both  the 
accession  and  separation  rates. 

How  the  sum  total  of  these  factors  affects  the  labor  instability 
of  the  same  establishments  at  different  periods  and  under  differ- 


LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS 


TABLE  15 

NUMBER  AND  PER  CENT  DISTRIBUTION  OF  ESTABLISHMENTS  HAVING  CLASSIFIED 
LABOR  MOBILITY  RATES.    (1913-14  AND  1917-18) 

(Unit:  One  establishment) 
ESTABLISHMENTS  HAVING  CLASSIFIED  LABOR  MOBILITY  RATES  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 


1913-1914 

1917-1918 

FLUX 

CLASSIFIED  RATE 

ACCES- 

SEPA- 

ACCES- 

SEPA- 

CLASSIFIED RATE 

1913- 

1917- 

SION 

RATION 

SION 

RATION 

1914 

1918 

NUMBER 

.60  and  under     . 

34 

26 

6 

7 

1.20  and  under 

28 

5 

Over    .60  to  1.20 

i? 

26 

27 

26 

Over  1.20  to  2.40 

22 

28 

Over  1.20  to  1.80 

14 

18 

37 

34 

Over  2.40  to  3.60 

19 

35 

Over  i.  80  to  2.40 

12 

7 

26 

30 

Over  3.60  to  4.80 

8 

25 

Over  2.40  to  3.00 

3 

4 

25 

29 

Over  4.80  to  6.00 

4 

3i 

Over  3.00  to  3.60 

i 

22 

21 

Over  6.00  to  7.20 

20 

Over  3.60  to  4.20 

— 

— 

II 

12 

Over  7.20  to  8.40 

— 

14 

Over  4.20  to  4.80 

— 

i 

10 

7 

Over  8.40  to  9.60 

— 

6 

Over  4.80      .     . 

3 

2 

12 

10 

Over  9.60     .     . 

3 

12 

Total     .     . 

84 

84 

I76 

176 

84 

I76 

Mobility  rates: 

84  Establishments 

•93 

•99 

2.07 

2.OI 

1.92 

4.08 

PER  CENT  DISTRIBUTION 

.60  and  under     . 

40 

31 

3 

4 

1.20  and  under 

32 

3 

Over    .60  to  i.  20 

20 

3i 

15 

IS 

Over  i.  20  to  2.40 

26 

16 

Over  1.20  to  1.80 

17 

21 

21 

19 

Over  2.40  to  3.60 

23 

20 

Over  i.  80  to  2.40 

14 

8 

IS 

17 

Over  3.60  to  4.80 

10 

14 

Over  2.40  to  3.00 

4 

s 

14 

16 

Over  4.80  to  6.00 

5 

18 

Over  3.00  to  3.60 

i 

13 

12 

Over  6.00  to  7.20 

ii 

Over  3.60  to  4.20 

— 

— 

6 

7 

Over  7.20  to  8.40 

— 

8 

Over  4.20  to  4.80 

— 

i 

6 

4 

Over  8.40  to  9.60 

— 

3 

Over  4.80      .     . 

4 

2 

7 

6 

Over  9.60 

4 

7 

Total     .     . 

TOO 

TOO 

IOO 

IOO 

IOO 

IOO 

ent  labor  conditions  may  be  seen  by  comparison  of  the  mobility 
figures  of  20  identical  establishments  for  the  two  periods  1913-14 
and  1917-18.  It  may  be  seen  from  the  figures  in  Table  16  that 
with  the  exception  of  3  establishments  (Nos.  34,  48,  and  56)  all 
show  a  decided  increase  in  the  mobility  rates  over  the  pre-war 
period,  the  rates  in  one  case  (Establishment  No.  37)  being  over 
four  times  as  great  in  the  war  as  in  the  pre-war  period.  For 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

LABOR  MOBILITY  OF  ESTABLISHMENTS 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  or  BUSINESS 

LOCATION 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT NUMBER 

NUMBER  OF  FULL- 
YEAR  WORKERS 

1913-14 

1917-18 

Engineering  specialties  mfg.  .     '     * 
Agricultural  implements  mfg.     . 
Agricultural  implements  mfg.     .     . 
Motor  car  mfg. 

Cincinnati 
Chicago 
Chicago 
Detroit 
Chicago 
Milwaukee 
Cleveland 
Detroit 
Chicago 
Cleveland 
Chicago 
Chicago 
Cincinnati 
Detroit 
Cleveland 
Chicago 
Cincinnati 
Detroit 
Detroit 
Chicago 

37  (146) 
21  (106) 
20  (105) 
48  (194) 
26  (113) 
58  (257) 
41  (178-184) 
51  (200) 
27  (109) 
40  (172) 
28  (117) 
30  ("5) 
35  (i44) 
50  (198) 
42  (182) 
25  (102) 
56  (141) 
54  (207) 
47  (205) 
34  (126) 

656 
6,592 
4,377 
10,904 
243 
642 
1,247 
4,028 
9,430 
335 
544 
415 
476 

897 
i,  in 
9,661 
624 
1,004 
3,no 
5,522 

1,150 
5,759 
4,211 
3i,950 
402 
1,181 
1,408 
9,869 
i4,73i 
1,263 

733 
390 
1,194 

2,504 
1,649 
7,287 
883 

3,379 
11,125 

8,730 

Structural  steel  fabricating    .      .      . 
Electrical  appliances  mfg.      .     .     . 
Metal  wire,  etc.  mfg.  *      .      .      .      . 
Motor  car  mfg  

Mail  order  house 

Machine  tools  mfg 

Electrical  supplies  mfg  
Iron  wheels  and  castings  mfg.     .     . 
Machine  tools  mfg. 

Motor  car  mfg. 

Machine  tools  mfg. 

Car  works  

Machine  tools  mfg 

Automobile  parts  mfg 

Motor  car  mfg. 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing  .      . 

20  identical  firms  2 

— 

— 

61,818 

109,798 

all  of  the  twenty  identical  establishments  taken  together,  there 
appears  to  have  taken  place  nearly  a  two-fold  increase  in  the  flux 
rate;  in  1913-14  it  was  2.56,  and  in  1917-18  it  was  4.44,  per  full- 
year  worker. 

It  is  to  be  noted,  in  the  figures  of  Table  16,  that  in  the  earlier 
period  the  separation  rate  exceeded  the  accession  rate.  Most 
of  these  concerns,  as  was  quite  generally  the  case  with  American 
industrial  establishments  at  that  time,  were  more  or  less  exten- 
sively reducing  the  number  of  their  employees.  In  1917-18, 
according  to  these  figures,  the  rate  of  accession  was  appreciably 

1  Different  mills  of  this  establishment  were  reported  .separately  in  1917-18,  but 
are  here  combined  for  purposes  of  comparison  with  1913-14. 

2  See  note  i,  p.  65. 


LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS       65 


16 

REPORTED  BOTH  IN  1913-14  AND  1917-18 


RATE 

OF  LABOF 

CHANGE 

PER  FULL 

-YEAR  WO 

RKER 

ACCE 

SSION 

SEPAB 

ATION 

Fl 

UX 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

iQiS-U 

1917-18 

1913-14 

I9I7-I8 

1913-14 

I9I7-I8 

-33 
•30 

1-77 
.96 

.42 
.63 

1.74 
.8l 

•75 
•93 

3-51 
1.77 

Engineering  specialties  mfg. 
Agricultural  implements  mfg. 

•36 

.69 

.63 

.69 

•99 

1.38 

Agricultural  implements  mfg. 

.48 

.48 

.60 

•45 

i.  08 

•93 

Motor  car  mfg. 

.69 

i.  ii 

.87 

•93 

1.56 

2.04 

Structural  steel  fabricating 

•57 

2.58 

1.05 

2.49 

1.62 

5-07 

Electrical  appliances  mfg. 

.96 

2.76 

.69 

2-73 

1.65 

5-49 

Metal  wire,  etc.  mfg. 

1.02 

3-Si 

.72 

3-o6 

1.74 

6.57 

Motor  car  mfg. 

•93 

•93 

.90 

i.  08 

1.83 

2.OI 

Mail  order  house 

.29 

2.79 

.81 

2.OI 

2.IO 

4.80 

Machine  tools  mfg. 

.26 

2.88 

1.29 

2.67 

2-55 

5-55 

Electrical  supplies  mfg. 

•47 

3-09 

1.47 

2.19 

2.94 

5-28 

Iron  wheels  and  castings  mfg. 

.41 

i.  80 

1.56 

1.65 

2.97 

3-45 

Machine  tools  mfg. 

•53 

3.06 

1.56 

2-73 

3-09 

5-79 

Motor  car  mfg. 

•44 

3-09 

1.65 

3-09 

3-09 

6.18 

Machine  tools  mfg. 

.41 

2.58 

2.13 

2.82 

3-54 

5-40 

Car  works 

2.04 

i-53 

1.56 

1.32 

3-6o 

2.85 

Machine  tools  mfg. 

1.83 

4-53 

1.92 

4-47 

3-75 

9.00 

Automobile  parts  mfg. 

2.79 

3-69 

2.76 

4.11 

5-55 

7.80 

Motor  car  mfg. 

3.00 

2.19 

2-73 

1.83 

5-73 

4.02 

Slaughtering  and  meat  pack'g 

1.26 

2.30 

1.30 

2.14 

2.56 

4.44 

20  identical  firms  l 

higher  than  the  rate  of  separation.  This  reflects,  in  turn,  the 
industrial  activity  of  the  war  period.  This  shift,  in  a  four-year 
interval,  from  a  contracting,  demobilizing  industrial  machine 
to  an  expanding  one,  is  further  revealed  in  the  two  columns 
headed  "  number  of  full-year  workers. "  The  aggregate  working 
personnel  of  these  twenty  concerns  increased  in  number  from 
61,818  in  1913-14  to  109,798  in  1917-18.  The  figures  for  the 
individual  establishments  show  that  only  four  of  the  twenty 
firms  failed  to  share  in  this  expansion.  Of  the  four  establish- 
ments which  suffered  a  decline  only  one  experienced  a  shrinkage 
of  any  considerable  proportions. 

1  The  rates  for  the  20  identical  firms  combined  are  unweighted  arithmetic 
averages  of  the  respective  individual  plant  rates. 


66 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 
LABOR  MOBILITY  BY  SEX  AND 


NUMBER 

NUMBER  OF 

TOTAL 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

OF  ESTAB- 

FULL-YEAR 

LABOR  HOURS 

LISHMENTS 

WORKERS 

(THOUSANDS) 

Males 

Automobiles  and  parts       .... 
Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg 

Furniture  and  mill  work 

Leather  and  rubber  goods       .     .     . 

Machinery  mfg 

Mercantile  establishments 
Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg.    . 
Printing  and  publishing     .... 
Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 

Street  railways     . 

Telephone  service 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing    . 


Total 


2 

2,872 

8,616 

3 

2,192 

6,576 

3 

453 

i,359 

2 

1,851 

5,553 

I 

i,i73 

3,519 

6 

12,902 

38,706 

2 

817 

2,45i 

II 

5,736 

17,208 

3 

577 

i,73i 

2 

2,35i 

7,053 

2 

6,881 

20,643 

7 

7,355 

22,065 

I 

4,353 

13,059 

45 

49,513 

148,539 

Females 
Automobiles  and  parts       
Chemical  industries  and  refineries 
Clothing  and  textile  mfg  

2 

3 

210 
256 

82<; 

630 
768 

2.A7C 

Furniture  and  millwork 
Leather  and  rubber  goods       .... 
Machinery  mfg  

2 

I 

6 

174 

102 

421 

522 
1,306 

I.2CH 

Mercantile  establishments       .... 
Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg.    .      . 
Printing  and  publishing     
Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 
Street  railways     .      .      . 
Telephone  service      .     . 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing    .     .     . 

2 
II 

3 

2 
2 

7 

i 

310 
1,051 
583 
303 
671 
",054 

866 

930 
3,153 

i,749 
909 
2,013 
33,i62 
2,598 

Totalj     ... 

Af 

168^6 

CQ  COS 

LABOR  MOBILITY   OF   MALE   AND   FEMALE   EMPLOYEES 

The  results  of  a  special  study  of  the  relative  labor  mobility 
among  males  and  females  are  given  in  Tables  17  a  and  17  b, 
which  show  the  labor  change  numbers  and  rates  for  each  sex 
and  industry  group  for  the  45  firms  reporting  the  necessary  data 
for  1917-18.  In  the  period  covered  by  the  table,  female  workers 
made  up  about  one-fourth  of  the  aggregate  working  personnel  of 


LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS       67 


17  a 

INDUSTRY  GROUP,  1917-18 


NUMBER  OF  LABOR  CHANGES 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

ACCESSIONS 

SEPARATIONS 

FLUX 

4,708 

5,42i 

10,129 

6,569 

6,346 

12,915 

928 

934 

1,862 

4,319 

5,639 

9,958 

4,483 

4,449 

8,932 

13,256 

12,818 

26,074 

1,182 

1,198 

2,380 

18,403 

19,019 

37,422 

556 

633 

I,l89 

1,135 

1,194 

2,329 

5,772 

7,222 

12,994 

5,263 

8,229 

13,492 

17,320 

15,340 

32,660 

83,894 

88,442 

172,336 

Males 

Automobiles  and  parts 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

Furniture  and  millwork 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

Machinery  mfg. 

Mercantile  establishments 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 

Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 
Street  railways 
Telephone  service 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing 

Total 


Females 

37o 

250 

620 

Automobiles  and  parts 

300 

229 

529 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

1,062 

1,272 

2,334 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

733 

692 

J,425 

Furniture  and  millwork 

376 

140 

Si6 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

859 

720 

1,579 

Machinery  mfg. 

314 

255 

569 

Mercantile  establishments 

2,792 
440 

2,281 
529 

5,073 
969 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing 

811 

228 

1,039 

Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 

487 

3i5 

802 

Street  railways 

9,969 

9,477 

19,446 

Telephone  service 

2,694 

2,078 

4,772 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing 

21,207 

18,466 

39,673 

Total 

the  forty-five  establishments.  However,  in  two  of  the  thirteen 
industry  groups  —  clothing  and  textile  manufacturing  and  tele- 
phone service  —  the  women  far  outnumbered  the  men.  It  is  also 
to  be  noted  that,  in  several  cases,  the  number  of  women  workers 
reported  is  so  small  that  it  is  scarcely  prudent  to  attempt  general- 
ization. This  is  especially  true  where  data  are  shown  for  only  one 
or  two  establishments,  as,  for  example,  in  the  case  of  leather  and 
rubber  goods,  furniture  and  millwork  and  automobiles  and  parts. 


68 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

LABOR  MOBILITY  BY  SEX 


Both 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

NUMBER 

NUMBER  OF 

TOTAL 

OF  ESTAB- 

FULL- YEAR 

LABOR  HOURS 

LISHMENTS 

WORKERS 

(THOUSANDS) 

Automobiles  and  parts       
Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

2 

3 

3,o82 
2,448 

9,246 

7,344 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

T   278 

382/1 

Furniture  and  millwork     ... 

1,-t  /O 

,°34 

Leather  and  rubber  goods       .... 

I 

*»v».*5 

I,275 

3,825 

Machinery  mfg.       ... 

5 

Mercantile  establishments       .... 

2 

*6>666 
1,127 

oy,yyy 
3,381 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg.    . 
Printing  and  publishing     

II 
3 

6,787 

1,160 

20,361 
3,48o 

Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 

2 

2,654 

7,962 

Street  railways     . 

2 

7,552 

22,656 

Telephone  service     . 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing    .     .     . 

7 

I 

18,409 
5,219 

55,227 
15,657 

Total       

45 

66,349 

199,047 

RATE  PER  FULL- 


MALES 

FEMALES 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

T^Trrv 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

TTTTTV 

SION 

TION 

I;  LUX 

SION 

TION 

J  LUX 

Automobiles  and  parts 

1.65 

1.89 

3-54 

1.77 

1.  2O 

2.97 

Chem.  industries  and  refineries 

3-oo 

2.88 

5.88 

1.17 

.QO 

2.07 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

2.04 

2.07 

4.11 

1.29 

i-53 

2.82 

Furniture  and  millwork    . 

2-34 

3-06 

5-40 

4.20 

3-99 

8.19 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

3-8i 

378 

7-59 

3-69 

1.38 

5-07 

Machinery  mfg  

1.02 

•99 

2.01 

1.98 

1.68 

3.66 

Mercantile  establishments 

1.44 

1.47 

2.91 

i.  02 

.81 

1.83 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg.  . 

3.21 

3-33 

6-54 

2.67 

2.16 

4.83 

Printing  and  publishing    . 

.96 

i.  ii 

2.07 

•75 

.90 

1.65 

Public  utilities: 

Gas  and  electricity  mfg.  . 

.48 

•Si 

.99 

2.68 

•75 

3-43 

Street  railways       .      .      . 

.84 

1.05 

1.89 

.72 

.48 

1.20 

Telephone  service 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing 

.72 

3-99 

i.  ii 
3-51 

1.83 
7-50 

.90 
3.12 

.87 
2.40 

1.77 
5-52 

Total     

1.68 

i.  80 

i  48 

1.26 

i.  ii 

2  37 

O-'f0 

^••j  1 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS       69 


17  b 

AND  INDUSTRY  GROUP,  1917-18 


Sexes 

NUMBER  OF  LABOR  CHANGES 

INDUSTRIAL  GROUP 

ACCESSIONS 

SEPARATIONS 

FLUX 

5,078 

5,67i 

10,749 

Automobiles  and  parts 

6,869 

6,575 

13,444 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

1,990 

2,206 

4,196 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

5,052 

6,33i 

n,383 

Furniture  and  millwork 

4,859 

4,589 

9,448 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

I4,U5 

13,538 

27,653 

Machinery  mfg. 

1,496 

i,453 

2,949 

Mercantile  establishments 

21,195 

21,300 

42,495 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 

996 
1,946 

1,162 
1,422 

2,158 
3,368 

Printing  and  publishing 
Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 

6,259 

7,537 

13,796 

Street  railways 

15,232 

17,706 

32,938 

Telephone  service 

20,014 

17,418 

37,432 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing 

105,101 

106,908 

212,009 

Total 

YEAR  WORKER 


BOTH  SEXES 


ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

FLUX 

SION 

TION 

1.65 

1.83 

348 

Automobiles  and  parts 

2.82 

2.70 

5-52 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

1.56 

1.74 

3-30 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

2.49 

3.12 

5-6i 

Furniture  and  millwork 

3-8i 

3-60 

7.41 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

1.05 

1.02 

2.07 

Machinery  mfg. 

1.32 

I.2Q 

2.61 

Mercantile  establishments 

3.12 

3.15 

6.27 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 

.87 

•99 

1.86 

Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

.72 

•54 

1.26 

Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 

.84 

•99 

1.83 

Street  railways 

•84 

.96 

1.80 

Telephone  service 

3-84 

3-33 

7.17 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing 

1-59 

1.62 

3.21 

Total 

70  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

The  figures  indicate  that  the  mobility  rates  for  females  are  on 
the  whole  considerably  lower  than  for  males.  It  is  a  rather  signifi- 
cant fact  that  whenever  the  mobility  rates  of  the  males  are  high 
the  mobility  rates  of  the  females  are  also  high.  The  combined 
rates  of  the  45  establishments  here  studied  show  the  separation 
rate  of  the  males  to  be  slightly  higher  than  the  accession  rate, 
while  the  accession  rate  of  the  females  is  greater  than  the  separa- 
tion rate.  This  is,  of  course,  due  to  the  influx  of  women  into 
industries  during  that  period.  In  general,  the  rates  shown  here 
reveal  primarily  the  effect  of  war-time  changes  in  industry 
and  cannot  be  said  to  offer  conclusive  evidence  that  shifting  is 
generally  less  among  women.  These  figures  must  be  used  with 
certain  reservations,  since  the  comparison  of  the  mobility 
between  males  and  females  is  not  made  invariably  between 
employees  in  the  same  occupation  and  doing  similar  work. 
This  is  especially  noticeable  in  industry  groups  in  which  the 
female  labor  force  constitutes  only  a  small  fraction  of  the  total 
working  force  and  is  composed  almost  entirely  of  clerical  em- 
ployees. 

DAY  AND   NIGHT  FORCE 

On  the  basis  of  figures  secured  from  a  machine  tool  manufac- 
turing plant  the  relative  responsibility  fairly  to  be  assessed 
against  the  day  and  night  forces,  respectively,  for  the  turnover, 
can  be  fairly  closely  ascertained.  In  Table  18  the  number  of 
labor  changes  in  this  establishment  and  the  corresponding  rates 
are  given  for  each  year  from  1916  to  1919,  inclusive. 

From  these  figures  it  may  be  seen  that,  over  the  4-year  period, 
1916-19,  the  flux  rate  per  full-year  worker  for  the  day  force  was 
2.25,  that  of  the  night  force  6.27,  and  that  of  the  day  and  night 
forces  combined  3.06.  The  mobility  of  the  night  force  is  nearly 
three  times  as  great  as  that  of  the  day  force  and  the  former  is, 
therefore,  responsible  for  an  extent  of  mobility  entirely  out  of 
proportion  to  its  strength  in  the  organization.  Over  the  4-year 
period  the  night  force  constituted  about  20  per  cent  of  the  total 
working  force,  but  is  chargeable  with  nearly  45  per  cent  of  the 


LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS      .71 

total  labor  changes.  The  greater  shifting  among  the  night 
workers  thus  causes  the  flux  rate  for  the  establishment  as  a  whole 
to  be  35  per  cent  higher  than  it  would  be  if  the  changes  in  the 
night  force  were  in  equal  proportion  with  those  of  the  day  force. 

TABLE  18 

LABOR  MOBILITY  OF  DAY  AND  NIGHT  FORCES  OF  A  MACHINE-TOOL  MANUFAC- 
TURING ESTABLISHMENT  (No.  35-144),  BY  YEARS,  1916-19 


YEAR 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL-YEAR 
WORKERS 

TOTAL 
LABOR  HOURS 
(THOUSANDS) 

NUMBER  OF  LABOR  CHANGES 

ACCESSION 

SEPARATION 

FLUX 

1916 
1917     .      .      . 
1918     .      .      . 
1919     .      .      . 

Total     .     . 

1916     .     .     . 
1917     .     .     . 
1918     .     .     . 
1919     .     .     . 

Total     .     . 

1916     .     .     . 
1917     .     .     • 
1918     .     .     . 
1919     .     .     . 

Total     .     . 

1916     .     .     . 
1917     .     .     . 
1918     .     .     . 
1919     -     .     . 

Total     .     . 

DAY  FORCE 

806 
892 
950 
780 

2,418 
2,676 
2,850 
2,340 

1,251 
1,124 

1,087 
547 

955 

956 
1,283 
494 

2,206 
2,080 
2,370 
1,041 

3,428 

10,284 

4,009 

3,688 

7,697 

NIGHT  FORCE 

225 
220 
2S7 
143 

675 
660 
771 
429 

838 
816 
662 
415 

'      764 
749 
803 
244 

1,602 
1,565 
1,465 
659 

84S 

2,535 

2,73i 

2,560 

5,291 

TOTAL  WORKING  FORCE 

1,031 

1,112 

1,207 
923 

3,093 
3,336 
3,621 
2,769 

2,089 
1,940 

i,749 
962 

i,7i9 
1,705 
2,086 
738 

3,8o8 
3,645 
3,835 
1,700 

4,273 

12,819 

6,740 

6,248 

12,988 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

DAY  FORCE 

NIGHT  FORCE             TOTAL  WORKING 

FORCE 

ACCES- 
SION 

SEPA-      F 

RATION 

ACCES-     SEPA- 
SION      RATION 

r™  ASS- 

SEPA- 
RATION 

FLUX 

1.56 
1.26 
1.14 
.69 

1.17     2.73 
1.  08     2.34 
1.35     2.49 
.63    1.32 

3-72          3-39 
3-72          3-39 

2.58      3.12 

2.91    1.71 

7.II  2.04 
7.II  1.74 
5.70  1.44 
4.62  1.05 

1.68 

1-53 
1.74 
.81 

3-72 
3-27 
3-i8 
1.86 

1.17 

1.08      2.25 

3-24    3.03 

6,27  1.59 

1.47 

3-06 

72  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

LABOR  MOBILITY  OF   SKILLED  AND  UNSKILLED  EMPLOYEES 

Of  some  interest  in  the  study  of  turnover  is  a  consideration  of 
the  relative  instability  of  the  skilled  and  unskilled.  It  is  generally 
known  that  common  or  unskilled  labor  is  less  stable  than  skilled 
labor,  but  extensive  figures  are  not  available  to  show  just  how 
much  less  stable  it  is.  On  the  basis  of  figures  furnished  by  a 
number  of  industrial  plants  it  is  possible  to  compare  skilled  and 
unskilled  employees  both  for  the  war  period  and  the  period  im- 
mediately preceding  the  war.  The  figures  are  presented  in 
Table  19. 

The  labor  mobility  rates  for  the  two  classes  of  labor  show  that 
in  both  periods  unskilled  labor  was  much  more  unstable  than 
skilled  labor.  Moreover,  this  excess  of  instability  on  the  part  of 
the  unskilled  was  much  greater  in  the  war  than  in  the  pre-war 
period.  In  the  latter  period  the  mobility  rates  of  the  unskilled 
were  more  than  double  the  rates  for  the  skilled.  In  1917  the 
mobility  rates  of  the  unskilled  were  three  times  as  great  as  those 
of  the  skilled.  In  the  earlier  period  there  was,  among  the  skilled, 
slightly  more  than  one  labor  change  for  each  skilled  member  of 
the  working  force  of  the  twenty-two  plants  and  nearly  three 
changes  in  unskilled  jobs  for  each  unskilled  worker.  In  1917-18 
there  were  nearly  three  skilled-labor  changes  for  each  skilled 
worker  and  about  nine  unskilled-labor  changes  for  each  unskilled 
worker.1 

In  answer  to  a  question  addressed  to  a  large  number  of  estab- 
lishments regarding  the  occupation  or  department  in  which  the 
labor  changes  were  greatest  or  least  during  the  war  period  and  the 
reason  why,  the  almost  unanimous  opinion  expressed  was  that 
the  greatest  shifting  was  taking  place  in  departments  in  which  the 
bulk  of  the  employees  were  classified  as  common  labor.  The 
least  shifting  was  reported  to  be  taking  place  mainly  "among 
the  highly  skilled  employees  who  were  earning  big  money  and 

1  See  also  Tables  24  and  39,  where  additional  figures  are  given  on  turnover 
among  skilled  and  unskilled  workers. 


LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS       73 

had  long  records  of  continuous  service. "  The  extremely  large 
number  of  labor  changes  among  the  unskilled  workers  was  due, 
it  was  repeatedly  stated,  to  the  fact  that  during  the  war  period 


TABLE  19 
LABOR  MOBILITY  OF  SKILLED  AND  UNSKILLED  WORKERS,  1913-15  AND  1917-18 

[10  establishments  reporting  for  1913,  5  for  1914,  and  7  for  1915;  10  establishments 
reporting  for  year  ending  May  31,  1918] 

Source:  Report  on  "Mobility  of  Labor  in  American  Industry,"  10  Mo.  Labor  Rev., 
1352.     Rates  shifted  to  full-year  worker  basis 


CLASS  or  WORKERS 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL-YEAR 
WORKERS 

TOTAL 
LABOR  HOURS 

LABOR  CHANGES 

ACCESSION 

SEPARATION 

FLUX 

NUMBER 

Skilled913  ] 
Unskilled      .     . 

Total     .     . 

1917-18 

Skilled     .     .     . 
Unskilled      .     . 

Total     .     . 

Skilled913  ] 
Unskilled      .     . 

Total     .      . 

1917-18 

Skilled     .     .     . 
Unskilled      .     . 

Total     .     . 

24,733 
15,660 

74,199,000 
46,980,000 

14,848 
20,042 

16,484 
22,251 

31,332 
42,293 

40,393 

121,179,000 

34,890 

38,735 

73,625 

16,169 

4,408 

48,507,000 
13,224,000 

21,919 
19,661 

24,830 
19,203 

46,749 
38,864 

20,577 

61,731,000 

41,580 

44,033 

85,613 

• 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 
V. 

.60 
1.29 

.66 
1.41 

1.26  \ 
2.70    \ 

.87 

.96 

1.83 

4-47 

4*35 

2.88     / 
8.82    1 

2.OI 

2.13 

4.14  / 

the  demand  for  common  labor  was  so  great  that  at  frequent 
intervals  actual  shortages  of  this  kind  of  help  were  felt.  The 
ensuing  shortages  resulted  in  a  sharp  competition  for  common 


74  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

labor;  employers  outbid  each  other  in  order  to  obtain  it,  and 
the  workers,  taking  advantage  of  the  situation,  shifted  from 
plant  to  plant  and  city  to  city  in  enormous  numbers.  The  com- 
petition for  help  was  carried  on  mainly  by  means  of  extensive 
newspaper  advertising.  The  advertisements  were  so  alluring 
that,  as  one  large  employer  put  it,  "day  workers  were  looking  for 
new  positions  during  the  evening  and  night  workers  during  the 
day." 

OCCUPATIONAL  INCIDENCE  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY 

( It  is  apparent  that  the  mobility  rates  as  shown  for  an  establish- 
ment as  a  whole  do  not  quite  accurately  reflect  the  conditions 
within  the  establishment,  for  the  reason  that  the  shifting  may  be 
largely  confined  to  a  single  occupation  or  a  group  of  occupations. 
To  bring  out  the  real  significance  of  the  mobility  situation, 
therefore,  further  classification  is  necessary. )  Probably  the  most 
significant  classification  of  mobility  in  individual  establishments 
and  one  which  best  brings  out  the  exact  responsibility  for  the 
labor  changes  in  the  working  force  is  that  based  upon  occupations 
or  jobs,  or  a  classification  in  which  the  mobility  figures  are  at 
least  kept  in  relation  to  certain  groups  within  the  working  force 
doing  somewhat  identical  work  and  having  similar  working 
conditions.  The  advantage  of  such  a  classification  lies  in  the 
fact  that  it  makes  it  possible  to  particularize  the  analysis  of 
existing  conditions  in  the  plant  and  trace  the  influence  upon 
stability  of  the  nature  of  the  work  and  the  general  conditions  of 
employment  of  each  occupation  or  group  of  occupations.  Table 
20  shows  the  occupational  responsibility  for  labor  instability  in 
one  of  the  largest  car-building  establishments  in  the  United 
States.1 

This  table  shows  how  greatly  the  mobility  rates  of  the  different 
occupational  groups  vary  from  the  rates  as  a  whole.    For  exam- 

1  It  was  obviously  impracticable  to  classify  the  labor  changes  by  distinct  oper- 
ations —  of  which  there  were  over  700  in  this  establishment  —  but  the  predomi- 
nant and  numerically  most  important  in  each  department  were  carefully  chosen  • 
and  are  here  designated  as  principal  occupations. 


LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS       75 

pie,  the  flux  rate  of  the  total  working  force  of  this  establishment 
is  5.40  while  at  the  same  time  the  rate  for  one  occupation,  pattern 
makers,  is  1.05  and  for  another,  riveters,  is  11.76.     The  figures 
of  this  establishment  also  show  that,  although  for  the  estab- 
lishment as  a  whole  there  has  been  an  excess  of  separations 
over  accessions,  this  applies  only  to  some  of  the  occupational 
groups,  while  others  show  the  number  of  accessions  to  be  greater 
than   the  number  of  separations,   resulting  in   corresponding 
changes  in  the  mobility  rates.    It  is  stated  by  the  company  that 
the  influence  of  uncertainty  in  obtaining  materials  and  certain 
demoralizing  labor  conditions  are  reflected  in  the  high  mobility 
rates  of  shearsmen,  punch-press  and  power-press  operators,  bolt 
makers,  and  car-body  builders.    The  high  shifting  frequency  of 
car  truck  builders  and  car  steam  fitters  is  due  to  seasonal  fluc- 
tuations.     Assemblers,    filers    and    welders,    molders,    wood- 
machine  operators  and  upholsterers  show  high  mobility  rates 
because  of  the  reduction  in  their  number.    The  highest  rates  of 
labor  change  are  found  among  the  riveters  and  laborers.    Both 
these  groups  of  workers  are  regarded  by  the  management  as 
being  of  the  floater  type,  which  is  a  type  very  difficult  to  manage. 
The  marked  instability  of  workers  in  certain  occupations  in  this 
establishment  may  be  explained  by  the  fact  that,  during  the 
period  for  which  figures  are  shown,  shipbuilding  on  the  Great 
Lakes  received  a  great  impetus  and  the  type  of  worker  employed 
in  car  building  could  readily  be  absorbed  in  shipbuilding  plants. 
The  relatively  higher  wages  paid  in  the  shipbuilding  industry  no 
doubt  attracted  many  employees  from  this  and  other  establish- 
ments.1 

1  See  also  Table  31,  below,  where  are  shown  monthly  flux  rates  for  the  same  plant, 
over  the  same  1 2-month  period,  and  for  some  of  the  same  occupations  represented 
in  Table  20. 


76 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  A  CAR-BUILDING 
By  Occupations,  for  Year 


/tevUj* 

LABOR 

OCCUPATIONS 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL-YEAR 
WORKERS 

LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOUSANDS 

NUMBER 

ACCESSIONS 

SEPARATIONS 

Air-brake  construction  men  . 
Assemblers,  filers  and  welders     . 
Bevelers,  glaziers  and  silverers    . 
Blacksmiths 

8 
197 

23 
117 

24 
591 
69 

•2  CT 

13 
175 
35 

TIC 

21 

441 

44 

TC6 

Bolt  makers 

AQ 

I  2O 

T  7-7 

I  IO 

Bookkeepers,  clerks,  etc.  .  . 
Cabinet  makers  
Car  body  builders  .... 
Car  bottom  builders  .... 
Car  electricians  
Car  inspectors  
Carpenters 

229 
167 
871 
103 
186 
25 

72 

687 

501 
2,6l3 

309 
558 

75 
216 

257 

157 

3,394 
94 
395 
ii 
1  20 

259 
242 

3,383 
134 
494 
8 
1  08 

Car  platform  builders  .  .  . 
Car  steam  fitters  
Car  truck  builders  .... 
Die  and  tool  makers  .... 
Draftsmen 

31 

118 
i5S 
158 
88 

93 
354 
465 
474 

264 

42 
376 
356 
228 
38 

56 
384 
379 
230 
88 

Engineers  and  firemen      .      .      . 
Hammersmiths      
Inside  car  finishers      .... 
Inside  car  trimmers    .... 
.Laborers      
Machinists,  bench  machinists,  etc. 
Mechanical  engineers       .      .      . 
Millwrights      

59 
no 
261 

211 

1,140 
466 
26 

146 

177 
330 
783 
633 
3,420 
i,398 
78 
438 

160 
127 
190 

157 
6,166 
622 
23 

423 

146 
164 
328 

210 

6,  1  86 
803 

25 

4O  I 

Molders  

40 

147 

142 

173 

Painters  

f!7 

I  ?^I 

800 

I  076 

Pattern  makers  
Printers  

18 
9 

54 
27 

16 

14 
15 

JRlYfitdS  ...  T  ... 

I  -2Q 

4.17 

763 

877 

Rolling  mill  helpers  .... 
Roof  fitters  

90 

170 

270 
e-i'j 

55 

271 

63 
363 

Shearsmen,  punch-press  op't's,  etc. 
Shop  electricians    
Shop  steam  and  water  fitters 
Superintend's,  gen'l  foremen,  etc. 
Template  makers  
Tinners       .... 

446 

57 
47 
7i 
37 

I  ?2 

1,338 
171 
141 
213 
III 
4^6 

1,395 
143 
88 
76 
40 

IOO 

1,576 
133 

77 
98 

59 

214 

Upholsterers  

223 

669 

207 

463 

Watchmen  

80 

267 

24O 

243 

Wood  machine  operators 

153 

459 

390 

389 

Total 

7  287 

21  861 

18  8^7 

2O  642 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL  PLANTS        77 


20 

PLANT  (ESTABLISHMENT  No.  102) 

Ending  May  31,  1918 


CHANGES 

OCCUPATIONS 

RATE,  PER 
FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 
SION 

SEPARA- 
TION 

FLUX 

34 

1.62 

2.64 

4.26 

Air-brake  construction  men 

616 

.87 

2.25 

3.12 

Assemblers,  filers  and  welders 

79 

i-53 

I.Q2 

3-45 

Bevelers,  glaziers  and  silverers 

291 

1.16 

1-33 

2.49 

Blacksmiths 

252 

3-33 

2.97 

6.30 

Bolt  makers 

5i6 

i.  ii 

I.I4 

2.25 

Bookkeepers,  clerks,  etc. 

399 

•94 

145 

2-39 

Cabinet  makers 

6,777 

3-90 

3.87 

7-77- 

Car  body  builders 

228 

.91 

1.30 

2.21 

Car  bottom  builders 

889 

2.13 

2.64 

4-77 

Car  electricians 

19 

.44 

•32 

•76 

Car  inspectors 

228 

1.67 

1.50 

3-J7 

Carpenters 

98 

1.36 

1.  80 

3-i6 

Car  platform  builders 

760 

3-19 

3.25 

6.44 

Car  steam  fitters 

735 

2.29 

2.45 

4-74 

Car  truck  builders 

458 

1.44 

1.46 

2.90 

Die  and  tool  makers 

126 

.42 

.99 

1.41 

Draftsmen 

306 

2.71 

2.48 

5-19 

Engineers  and  firemen 

291 

1.14 

1.50 

2.64 

Hammersmiths 

Si8 

.72 

1.26 

1.98 

Inside  car  finishers 

367 

•75 

.99 

1.74 

Inside  car  trimmers 

12,352 
1,425 

5-40 
1.32 

540 
"  I.7I 

{10.80 

3-03 

Laborers 
Machinists,  bench  machinists,  etc. 

48 

•87 

.96 

1.83 

Mechanical  engineers 

824 

2.88 

2-73 

5-6i 

Millwrights 

3T5 

2.88 

3-54 

6.42 

Molders 

1,966 

1.71 

2.07 

3-78 

Painters 

19 

.27 

.78 

1.05 

Pattern  makers 

3i 

1.77 

1.65 

3-42 

Printers 

1,640 

5-46 

6.30 

'.11.76: 

Riveters 

1x8 

.60 

.69 

1.29 

Rolling  mill  helpers 

634 

1.50 

2.01 

3-S1 

Roof  fitters 

2,971 

3.12 

3-54 

6.66 

Shearsmen,  punch-press  operators,  etc. 

276 
165 

2.49 
.86 

2.34 

1.62 

4-83 
3-48 

Shop  electricians 
Shop  steam  and  water  fitters 

i74 

.08 

1.38 

2.46 

Superintendents,  general  foremen,  etc. 

99 

.08 

1.59 

2.67 

Template  makers 

413 

.29 

1.41 

2.70 

Tinners 

760 

•32 

2.07 

3-39 

Upholsterers 

483 

2.70 

2.73 

543 

Watchmen 

779 

2-55 

2.55 

5.10 

Wood  machine  operators 

39,479 

2.58 

2.82 

540 

Total 

CHAPTER  VI 
TYPES  OF  SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER  l 

THE  reasons  for  employees  leaving  the  service  of  an  industrial 
establishment  may  be  traced  back  either  to  purely  voluntary 
action  on  their  part,  generally  caused  by  dissatisfaction  with  the 
prevailing  conditions  of  employment,  or  to  action  initiated  by 
the  employer  and  due  either  to  curtailment  of  industrial  activities 
or  to  dissatisfaction  with  the  services  of  certain  of  his  employees. 
Separations  occurring  on  the  employee's  own  initiative  are  re- 
ferred to  in  these  pages  as  voluntary  separations  or  quits;  and 
those  resulting  from  the  affirmative  action  of  the  employer  are 
referred  to  as  lay-offs  or  discharges,  as  the  circumstances  indicate. 
In  attempting  to  get  some  conception  of  the  relative  responsibility 
of  the  various  influences  bearing  upon  the  mobility  of  labor  it  is 
highly  important  to  give  some  special  consideration  to  each  of 
these  three  types  of  separations.  In  the  figures  presented  here 
on  the  nature  of  separations,  "  quits "  are  taken  to  include  all 
voluntary  separations,  including  withdrawals  due  to  death, 
marriage,  etc. 

Discharges  nearly  always  mean  dismissal  "for  cause,"  which 
presupposes  some  form  of  incapacity  for  the  work  or  at  least 
what  is  believed  to  be  some  defect  in  the  character  of  the  em- 
ployee. Under  lay-offs  are  grouped  those  who  are  "let  out" 
either  temporarily  or  permanently  whether  because  of  the  com- 
pletion of  the  job  or  because  of  shortage  of  the  particular  work 
at  which  the  laid-off  employee  was  engaged.  Lay-offs  are  not 
voluntary  separations  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  character 
of  the  employee.  Lay-offs,  moreover,  seldom  are  made  for  a 

1  This  chapter  reproduced  by  permission,  and  with  some  modification,  from  the 
authors'  article  on  "The  Causes  of  Labor  Turnover,"  2  Administration,  649-667 
(November,  1921). 

78 


SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER         79 

definite  length  of  time,  and  a  large  proportion  of  laid-off  em- 
ployees, as  a  matter  of  fact,  never  return  to  the  same  establish- 
ment from  which  they  were  laid  off. 

In  Table  21  are  given  the  number,  rate  per  full-year  worker, 
and  the  percentage  distribution  of  all  separations,  of  employees 
discharged,  laid  off,  and  leaving  voluntarily.  Figures  are  shown 
for  each  year  from  1910  to  1915  inclusive  and  for  the  12 -month 
period  ending  May  31,  1918. 

The  arresting  fact  shown  in  the  following  rate  and  percentage 
distribution  figures  is  that  the  great  bulk  of  all  separations  to-day, 
as  in  1910,  is  due  to  voluntary  leaving.  It  also  appears  from  these 
figures  that  periods  of  industrial  prosperity  are  reflected  in  rela- 
tively low,  and  periods  of  depression  in  relatively  high,  propor- 
tions of  lay-offs  to  total  separations,  and  that  the  lay-off  rate  is 
the  most  sensitive  of  the  three  separation  rates  to  changing 
industrial  conditions.  Thus,  in  1914,  when  the  ratio  of  quits  to 
total  separations  was  lower  than  at  any  other  time  during  the 
period  covered  by  the  figures,  the  proportion  of  lay-offs  was 
higher  than  at  any  other  time,  constituting  nearly  one  third 
(31  per  cent)  of  all  separations,  while  in  the  immediately  pre- 
ceding year  1913  lay-offs  made  up  only  7  per  cent  of  all  separa- 
tions. The  rate  figures  indicate  that  it  is  not  alone  the  proportion 
but  also  the  actual  rate  of  lay-off  which  is  thus  affected  by  busi- 
ness activity  and  depression,  the  lay-off  rate  for  1913  being  .10, 
a  relatively  low  figure,  and  for  1914,  .25,  per  full-year  worker, 
which  is  an  exceedingly  high  rate  for  lay-offs. 

The  discharge  rate  is  evidently  subject  to  less  extreme  fluc- 
tuations than  the  lay-off  rate,  and  it  makes  up  from  year  to 
year  a  more  constant  proportion  of  the  total  separations.  There 
appears,  moreover,  to  be  a  rather  definite  relation  between 
the  accession  and  discharge  rates,  due,  possibly,  to  the  process  of 
selection  which  goes  on  when  new  workers  are  taken  on  in  large 
numbers.  The  consequence  of  the  stimulating  effect  of  business 
prosperity  in  boosting  the  voluntary  leaving  rates  may  be  seen 
in  the  high  rates  of  total  separation,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 


8o 


LABOR   TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


lay-off  rates  are  relatively  low.  In  periods  of  depression  both 
the  rates  and  the  proportions  of  lay-off  and  discharge  are  higher 
than  in  periods  of  prosperity.  This  is  due  tojhe  fact  that  when 

TABLE 

TYPE  OF  SEPARATION  (DISCHARGE,  LAY-OFF  OR  VOLUNTARY  QUITTING) 

AND  FOR  THE  12-MONTH  PERIOD 

(Source:  Report  on  "Mobility  of  Labor  in  American  Industry." 


YEAR 

NUMBER 
OF  ESTAB- 
LISHMENTS 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL-YEAR 
WORKERS 

TOTAL 
LABOR  HOURS 

IOIO 

7 
13 

20 

35 
50 
28 
108 

23,273 
56,577 
72,526 
134,823 
118,195 
78,984 
207,303 

69,819,000 
169,731,000 
217,578,000 
404,469,000 
354,585,000 
236,952,000 
621,909,000 

1912  ...     
1913  

iQiS   
1017—  18 

Total 

261 

691,681 

2,075,043,000 

PERCENTAGE  OF  TOTAL  SEPARATIONS  DUE  TO— 

DISCHARGE 

LAY-OFF 

VOLUNTARY 
SEPARATION 

IS 
19 

20 

17 
2O 

16 
14 

3 

10 

6 

7 
3i 
20 
8 

82 
71 

74 
76 

49 
63 
79 

IO.T2 

IOI4. 

101  ^ 

1017—  18 

Total                    .     . 

16 

ii 

73 

depression  sets  in  there  are  unusually  large  numbers  laid  off  and 
employees  are  discharged  more  freely  than  would  be  the  case 
when  labor  is  urgently  needed. 

The  influence  of  the  prevailing  industrial  conditions  not  only 
upon  the  separation  rate  as  a  whole  but  more  specifically  upon 
the  three  types  of  separation  —  quitting,  lay-off,  and  discharge, 


SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER 


81 


which  make  up  this  rate  —  is  shown  in  Table  2,  on  page  16, 
which  gives  the  trend,  from  1912  to  1919,  of  accession  (hiring) 
and  classified  separation  rates  in  a  middle  western  metal  products 

21 

OF  EMPLOYEES  LEAVING,  BY  YEARS  FROM  1910  TO  1915,  INCLUSIVE, 
ENDING  MAY  31,  1918 

10  Mo.  Labor  Rev.,  1354.    Rates  shifted  to  full-year  worker  basis) 


SEPARATIONS 

ACCESSIONS 

DISCHARGES 

LAY-OFFS 

VOLUNTARY 
SEPARATIONS 

TOTAL 

15,936 

2,608 

514 

14,230 

17,352 

1910 

53,506 

9,837 

5,082 

50,635 

I9II 

78,843 

13,628 

4,057 

49,806 

67,491 

1912 

182,276 

32,094 

13,334 

141,035 

186,463 

1913 

82,585 

19,565 

29,737 

46,660 

95,962 

1914 

50,421 

6,946 

8,536 

26,862 

42,344 

1915 

51,400 

29,833 

299,157 

380,390 

1917-18 

856,731 

136,078 

91,093 

613,466 

840,637 

Total 

RATE,  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER,  OF 

SEPARATION 

ACCESSION 

DISCHARGE 

LAY-OFF 

VOLUNTARY 
SEPARATION 

TOTAL 

.68 

.11 

.02 

.61 

•74 

1910 

•95 

.17 

.09 

•63 

.89 

1911 

1.09 

.19 

.06 

.69 

.94 

1912 

1.35 

.24 

.10 

1.05 

1-39 

1913 

.70 

•17 

•25 

.40 

.82 

1914 

.64 

.09 

.11 

•34 

•54 

1915 

1.90 

•25 

.14 

1.44 

1.83 

1917-18 

1.24 

-.20 

•13 

.89' 

1.22 

Total 

manufacturing  plant.    This  trend,  in  so  far  as  the  separation 

rates  are  concerned,  is  shown  graphically  in  Chart  E,  on  page  83. l 

Perhaps  the  most  striking  fact  brought  out  by  this  chart  is  the 

very  close  way  in  which  the  quitting  rate  parallels  the  total 

1  Chart  reprinted  by  permission  from  the  authors'  article  on  "Causes  of  Labor 
Turnover,"  Administration,  November,  1921. 


82  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

separation  rate,  the  margin  being  relatively  wide  in  periods  of 
depression  and  relatively  narrow  in  periods  of  great  industrial 
activity.  At  the  points  where  the  separation  rate  generally 
declines,  the  lay-off  rate  shows,  at  first,  a  decided  upward  trend, 
but  the  discharge  rate  declines  even  more  rapidly  than  the  sepa- 
ration rate  as  a  whole.  In  the  period  of  increasing  industrial 
activity,  especially  during  the  war  period,  the  discharge  rate  runs 
along  at  about  the  same  relatively  low  level,  while  the  lay-off 
rate  steadily  declines,  reaching  its  lowest  point  at  a  period  which 
marks  the  peak  of  activity  in  this  plant. 

The  form  of  the  lay-off  rate  curve  in  the  early  part  of  the 
seven-year  period  shows  that  it  was  the  great  increase  in  the  num- 
ber laid  off  in  the  latter  part  of  1914  that  raised  the  separation 
rate  during  that  time  so  considerably  above  the  accession  rate. 
This  shows  how  inaccurate  the  separation  curve  would  be  if  taken 
to  measure  "turnover"  —  unless  that  term  is  to  be  used  in  refer- 
ence to  something  entirely  different  from  the  amount  of  change  in- 
volved in  maintenance,  that  is  to  say  —  replacement.  Almost 
the  whole  margin,  in  this  part  of  the  period,  between  the  separa- 
tion and  accession  rates  is  due  to  increased  lay-offs,  i.e.,  to  a 
(more  or  less)  permanent  decrease  in  the  size  of  the  standard 
working  force.1  Remarkable  reductions  took  place  during  the 
first  three  and  a  half  years,  in  both  the  quitting  and  discharge 
rates.  When  the  war  began  in  Europe  this  establishment  had, 
apparently,  gone  a  long  way  toward  the  elimination  of  discharges 
as  a  factor  in  turnover.  In  the  three  years  from  1912  to  1915, 
it  reduced  its  rate  of  discharge  from  .25  to  .05  per  full-year  worker, 
or  80  per  cent.  But  during  the  war  period  from  December  31, 
1915,  to  April  30,  1919,  the  discharge  rate  increased  400  per  cent. 
The  most  important  pre-war  reduction  is,  of  course,  in  the  quit- 
ting rate,  because  the  quitters  are  responsible  for  the  bulk  of  the 
turnover.  This  company's  quitting  rate  went  down  from  1.23 
in  January,  1912,  to  .36  in  June,  1915,  —  a  decline  of  71  percent. 
But  the  quitting  rate  increased  271  per  cent  between  the  year 
1  Compare  Chart  A  above,  p.  19. 


84  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

ended  December  31, 1915,  and  the  year  ended  April  30, 1919.  It 
is  quite  evident,  as  has  been  pointed  out,  that  it  is  the  quitting 
rate  which  primarily  determines  the  total  separation  rate. 

The  disturbing  effect  of  war  conditions  is  very  evident.  Both 
accession  and  separation  rates  had  risen  in  1918  to  points  far 
above  the  high  points  of  the  1912-1915  period.  An  examination 
of  the  accession  rate  and  the  different  separation  rates  (shown  in 
Table  2)  indicates  that  the  war  pushed  all  rates  except  the  lay-off 
rate  well  above  the  remarkably  low  points  reached  in  1915. 
Worse  yet,  the  charts  show  that  it  pushed  all  except  the  lay-off 
and  discharge  rates  up  to  a  point  even  higher  than  the  maxi- 
mum rates  of  1912,  so  that  total  separation  and  accession  rates 
and  the  replacement  rate,1  which  in  this  case  is  identical  with  the 
separation  rate,  rose  to  points  never  before  reached  within  the 
period  covered  by  the  figures  reported.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
the  effect  of  the  war  on  the  lay-off  rate.  During  the  period 
1912-1915  it  was  reduced  28  per  cent.  War  conditions  appar- 
ently greatly  accelerated  this  reduction  and  showed  a  lay-off 
rate  of  .08  per  full-year  worker  for  the  year  ended  May  31,  1918, 
as  compared  with  .31  for  the  year  1915,  —  a  reduction  of  77  per 
cent.  But  in  the  latter  part  of  1918,  the  lay-off  rate  began  to  rise 
and  the  rate  for  the  year  ending  April  30,  1919,  stood  at  .67,  the 
highest  it  had  been  since  1915.  Despite  the  increased  war  de- 
mand for  labor,  the  discharge  rate  increased  from  .05  in  1915  to 
.17  in  1918,  —  an  increase  of  240  per  cent.  It  has  continued  to 
rise,  and  stood  at  .25  for  the  year  ended  April  30,  1919. 

The  proportions  of  the  total  separations  in  industrial  establish- 
ments due  to  discharge,  lay-off,  and  (voluntary)  quitting  in  the 
period  1913-14,  and  to  discharge,  lay-off,  entry  into  military 
service,  and  quitting  in  1917-18,  are  shown  in  Table  22. 

It  is  evident  that  the  war  period  brought  about  a  considerable 

decrease  in  the  proportion  of  discharges  and  in  the  number  of 

establishments  having  a  heavy  proportion  of  separations  due  to 

discharges.    The  war  period  had  the  same  effect  upon  lay-offs, 

1  Shown  on  Chart  A,  page  19. 


SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER 


but,  on  the  contrary,  it  brought  about  a  great  increase  in  the 
number  of  establishments  having  a  heavy  proportion  of  separa- 
tions due  to  voluntary  leaving.  The  figures  of  Table  22  for 
sixty-six  establishments  reporting  in  1913-14  and  one  hundred 

TABLE  22 

NUMBER  OF  ESTABLISHMENTS  IN  WHICH  CLASSIFIED  PROPORTIONS  OF  THE  TOTAL 
SEPARATIONS  ARE  ATTRIBUTABLE,  RESPECTIVELY,  TO  DISCHARGE,  LAY-OFF, 
ENTRY  INTO  MILITARY  SERVICE,  AND  VOLUNTARY  QUITTING,  1913-14  AND 
1917-18 


NUMBER  OF  ESTABLISHMENTS 

NUMBER  OF  ES- 

HAVING CLASSIFIED 
PERCENTAGES  OF  THE  TOTAL 
SEPARATIONS  DUE  TO 

TABLISHMENTS 
HAVING  CLAS- 
SIFIED PER- 

PERCENTAGES OF 

EMPLOYEES  HAVING  — 

PERCENTAGE  OF 

CENTAGES  OF 

TOTAL  SEPARATIONS 

TOTAL  SEPARATIONS 

THE  TOTAL 

SEPARATIONS 

BEEN 

BEEN 

ENTERED 

DUE  TO  EM- 

DIS- 

LAID 

MILITARY 

PLOYEES  HAV- 

CHARGED 

OFF 

SERVICE 

ING  QUIT 

1913-14 

5  or  less         .      . 

6 

8 

— 

40  or  less 

13 

Over  5  to  10 

7 

.10 

— 

Over  40  to  50 

II 

Over  10  to  15     . 

13 

6 

— 

Over  50  to  60 

12 

Over  15  to  20     . 

6 

4 

— 

Over  60  to  70 

7 

Over  20  to  25 

6 

2 

— 

Over  70  to  80     . 

II 

Over  25  to  30 

9 



— 

Over  80  to  90     . 

9 

Over  30  ... 

19 

18 

— 

Over  90  to  100  . 

3 

Total     .     . 

66 

48 

— 

Total     .      . 

66 

1917-18 

5  or  less  .     .     . 

24 

34 

43 

40  or  less 

3 

Over  5  to  10 

39 

IS 

49 

Over  40  to  50     . 

4 

Over  10  to  15 

22 

6 

5 

Over  50  to  60 

6 

Over  15  to  20 

13 

i 

7 

Over  60  to  70 

18 

Over  20  to  25 

5 

2 

i 

Over  70  to  80 

3i 

Over  25  to  30     . 

3 

5 

— 

Over  80  to  90     . 

37 

Over  30   ... 

i 

5 

— 

Over  90  to  loo  . 

9 

Total     .     . 

107 

68 

105 

Total     .     . 

108 

and  seven  reporting  in  1917-18  indicate  that  discharges  in  1918 
made  up  over  30  per  cent  of  all  separations  in  less  than  i  per  cent 
of  the  establishments  reporting,  whereas  in  1913-14  they  bulked 
that  large  in  nearly  one-third  of  the  establishments  reporting. 


86 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

NUMBER  AND  RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER  OF  EMPLOYEES  DISCHARGED, 

BY  INDUSTRY  GROUPS, 


INDUSTRY  GROUP 

NUMBER 
or  ESTAB- 
LISHMENTS 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL-YEAR 
WORKERS 

TOTAL 
LABOR 
HOURS 

(THOUSANDS) 

1913-14 
Automobiles  and  parts  

14. 

31  4.2O 

QA  260 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 
Clothing  and  textile  mfg  

3 

2 

2,9OO 
2  588 

8,700 

7  76A 

Furniture  and  millwork       

Leather  and  rubber  goods    

4" 

o  018 

27  0^4. 

Machinery  mfg  

IO 

23  O3O 

60  117 

Mercantile  establishments   

4 

7,113 

21  33Q 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg.      .     .     . 
Printing  and  publishing       

17 
e 

46,495 
5,566 

139,485 
16,698 

Public  utilities: 
Gas  and  electricity  mfg  

I 

6<;o 

IiQ^O 

Street  railways     

2 

I^XAO 

46,620 

Telephone  service      

3 

21,801 

6^,403 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing      .... 

Total        

66 

166,130 

498,390 

1917-18 
Automobiles  and  parts  

16 

68,799 

206,397 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries       .     .     . 
Clothing  and  textile  mfg.     .           .... 

7 
4 

7,549 
2,098 

226,647 
6,204 

Furniture  and  millwork       

i 

275 

825 

Leather  and  rubber  goods    

2 

4,443 

I7.72O 

Machinery  mfg  

21 

29,185 

87,555 

C 

7,362 

22,086 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing       

27 
7 

15,453 
1,628 

46,359 
4,884 

Public  utilities: 
Gas  and  electricity'mfg  

C 

11,566 

34,698 

Street  railways     
Telephone  service      

3 

IO 

8,882 
21,338 

26,646 
64,014 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing      .... 

4 

28,725 

86,175 

Total     .... 

108 

2O7,  30^ 

62I.QOO 

As  to  the  lay-offs,  the  same  figures  demonstrate  that  in  1917-18 
they  constituted  over  30  per  cent  of  all  separations  in  less  than  8 
per  cent  of  the  concerns  reporting,  but  in  1913-14  they  made  up 
over  30  per  cent  of  all  separations  in  37  per  cent  of  the  establish- 


SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER        87 


23  a 

LAID  OFF,  ENTERING  MILITARY  SERVICE,  AND  LEAVING  VOLUNTARILY, 

1913-14  AND  1917-18 


NUMBER  OF  EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  WHO  — 

WERE 

\TLT-rm  -a* 

ENTERED 

LEFT 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

DIS- 

WERE 

LAID  OFF 

MILITARY 

VOLUN- 

TOTAL 

CHARGED 

SERVICE 

TARILY 

1913-14 

IX»835 

17,366 



21,580 

50,781 

Automobiles  and  parts 

5*5 

362 



2,147 

3,024 

Chem.  industries  and  refin's 

447 

58 



i,434 

i,939 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 



Furniture  and  millwork 

2,066 

922 



9,"7 

12,105 

Leather  and  rubber  foods 

2,664 

5,106 



8,169 

15,939 

Machinery  mfg. 

243 

772 



1,322 

2,337 

Mercantile  establishments 

7,979 
857 

5,368 
515 

.^_— 

37,422 
2,307] 

50,769 
3,679 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

42 

27 



133 

202 

Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 

2,549 



i,797 

4,346 

Street  railways 

3,924 



5,149 

10,786 

Telephone  service 







Slaughter'g  and  meat  pack'g 

30,910 

34,420 



90,577 

155,907 

Total 

1917-18 

14,623 

10,420 

10,599 

93,ooi 

128,643 

Automobiles  and  parts 

2,430 

756 

20,848 

25,209 

Chem.  industries  and  refin's 

^ 

264 

22 

'  61 

2,633 

2,980 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

26 



30 

649 

70S 

Furniture  and  millwork 

902 

52 

440 

9,8i3 

II,2O7 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

3,786 
837 

1,658 
3,972 

2,959 
522 

33,628 
10,432 

42,031 
15,763 

Machinery  mfg. 
Mercantile  establishments 

3,932 

896 

2,027 

32,669 

39,515 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 

90 

I 

158 

2,909 

3,158 

Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

1,162 

5,624 

1,680 

9,221 

17,687 

Gas  and  electricity  mfg. 

1,697 

55 

951 

5,681 

8,384 

Street  railways 

3,354 

2,362 

i,353 

14,795 

21,864 

Telephone  service 

18,306 

4,oi5 

i,645 

39,278 

63,244 

Slaughtering  and  m't  pack'g 

51,400 

29,833 

23,600 

275,557 

830,390 

Total 

ments.  Voluntary  quits  in  1918  made  up  over  80  per  cent  of  all 
separations  in  nearly  half  of  the  establishments  reporting,  while 
in  1913-14  they  constituted  this  large  a  proportion  in  less  than 
one-fifth  of  the  concerns  reporting. 


88 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

NUMBER  AND  RATE  PER  FULL- YEAR  WORKER  OF  EMPLOYEES  DISCHARGED, 

BY  INDUSTRY  GROUPS, 


RATE, 

PER  FULL- 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

DIS- 
CHARGE 

LAY- 
OFF 

ENTRY 

INTO 

MILITARY 
SERVICE 

LEAVING 
VOLUN- 
TARILY 

TOTAL 
SEPA- 
RATION 

I9-3-M 

Automobiles  and  parts     .... 

•38 

•55 



.69 

1.62 

OVmt-M-l/^ol      lt-l/^HC'4'  f«i^e*      01"»r1      **£k£l-*  AOTAft 

•*  vxiiciniccn  niQusurics  diici  rcnncrics    • 

.12 

•74 

1.04 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

•17 

.02 



•56 

•75 

Furniture  and  millwork    .... 





Leather  and  rubber  goods 

•23 

.10 



I.OI 

I-34 

Machinery  mfg  

.12 

.22 



?C 

.60 

Mercantile  establishments 
Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg.  . 
Printing  and  publishing    .... 

•03 
•17 

.11 
.11 

.09 



oo 

.19 
.80 
.41 

•  \S\f 

.a 

.65 

Public  utilities  :  Gas  and  e'ctric'y  mfg. 

.07 

.04 



.20 

Street  railways    . 

•17 





.12 

.29 

Telephone  service     . 

.08 

.18 



.24 

•50 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing  . 







Average      ... 

.10 

.21 

.QC 

•  A  y 

•00 

•yj 

How  the  relative  proportions  of  discharges  and  voluntary  sepa- 
rations have  changed  during  the  last  few  years  may  be  seen  from 
the  figures  for  a  large  machine  tool  manufacturing  establishment. 
The  percentage  of  employees  leaving  voluntarily,  as  against  the 
total  number  of  separations,  for  each  of  the  three  years  ended 
June  30,  1916,  1917,  and  1918,  and  for  the  three-months  period, 
July  to  September,  1918,  inclusive,  for  the  day  force,  were 
80,  81,  86,  and  92,  respectively.  The  percentages  of  voluntary 
separations  for  the  night  force,  for  the  same  periods,  were  77, 
82,  91,  and  96  per  cent,  respectively.  The  ratios  of  discharged 
employees  for  the  day  force  for  the  years  ending  June  30,  1916, 
1917,  and  1918,  and  the  three-months  period,  July  to  Sep- 
tember, 1918,  inclusive,  were  20,  19,  14,  and  8  per  cent,  respec- 
tively. During  the  same  periods  the  night  force  showed  the 
following  percentages  of  discharges:  23,  18,  9,  and  5  re- 


SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER         89 


236 


LAID  OFF,  ENTERING  MILITARY  SERVICE,  AND  LEAVING  VOLUNTARILY, 
1913-14  AND  1917-18 


YEAR  WORKER,  OF 

DIS- 
CHARGE 

LAY- 
OFF 

ENTRY 

INTO 

MILITARY 
SERVICE 

LEAVING 
VOLUN- 
TARILY 

TOTAL 
SEPA- 
RATION 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

1917-18 

.21 

•IS 

•IS 

1-35 

1.86 

Automobiles  and  parts 

•32 

.10 

.16 

2.76 

3-34 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

•13 

.01 

•03 

1.25 

1.42 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

.10 



.11 

2.36 

2-57 

Furniture  and  millwork 

.20 

.01 

.10 

2.21 

2.52 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

•13 

.06 

.10 

I-IS 

1.44 

Machinery  mfg. 

.11 

•54 

.07 

1.42 

2.14 

Mercantile  establishments 

.26 
•05 

.06 

a 

•13 
.10 

2.12 
1.79 

2-57 
1.94 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing 

.16 

.11 

.06 

.69 

1.02 

Public  utilities:  Gas  and  el'ctric'y  mfg. 

.IO 

•49 

.14 

.80 

i-53 

Street  railways 

.19 

.01 

.11 

•64 

•05 

Telephone  service 

.64 

•  14 

.06 

i-37 

2.21 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing 

•25 

•  14 

.11 

i-33 

1.83 

Average 

spectively.  Quitting  became  more  frequent;  firing  much  less 
frequent. 

In  Tables  23  a  and  23  b,  the  subdivided  separation  rates  are 
classified  according  to  the  various  industry  groups  covered  in 
the  two  investigations. 

These  figures  bring  out  some  rather  important  and  significant 
facts  with  regard  to  various  industries.  It  is  evident,  for  exam- 
ple, that  mercantile  establishments  had  the  minimum  discharge 
rate  in  1914  and  printing  and  publishing  plants  in  1918;  the  mini- 
mum lay-off  rate  in  1914  was  in  clothing  and  textiles  and  in  1918 
in  printing  and  publishing;  and  the  minimum  quitting  rate  in 
1914  was  in  the  street  railway  industry  and  in  1918  in  the  tele- 
phone service.  The  maximum  discharge  rate  was  in  the  automo- 
bile industry  in  1914  and  in  the  slaughtering  and  meat-packing 

•  Less,  than  .005,. 


go  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

industry  in  1918.  The  maximum  lay-off  rate  in  1914  was  in  the 
automobile  industry  and  in  1918  in  mercantile  establishments, 
and  the  maximum  quitting  rate  was  in  leather  and  rubber  goods 
in  1914  and  in  chemical  industries  in  1918.  The  figures  show, 
furthermore,  that  in  1914  in  the  automobile  group  discharges 
and  lay-offs  made  up  over  half  of  all  separations,  but  that  by  1918 
they  had  been  reduced  to  less  than  one-fourth  of  all  separations. 
In  the  miscellaneous  metal  products  industries,  discharges  and 
lay-offs  constituted  in  1914  nearly  one- third  of  all  separations, 
but  by  1918  they  had  been  cut  down  to  about  one-eighth  of  the 
total  separations.  In  mercantile  establishments,  on  the  other 
hand,  discharges  and  lay-offs  bulk  about  as  heavily  among  the 
separations  in  the  earlier  as  in  the  later  period,  making  up  nearly 
half  of  all  separations  both  then  and  now. 


An  attempt  to  establish  some  relation  between  the  particular 
type  of  separation  and  the  relative  skill  of  the  separating  em- 
ployee is  made  in  Table  24,  in  which  are  classified  the  returns 
from  22  establishments  which  reported  mobility  figures  for  skilled 
and  unskilled  employees  separately.1 

The  degree  of  occupational  training  and  skill  possessed  by  the 
employees  appears  to  make  little  or  no  difference  in  the  propor- 
tion of  quits,  discharges,  and  lay-offs  in  the  total  number  of 
separations.  The  percentage  distribution  figures  show  that  76 
per  cent  of  the  skilled  employees  and  72  per  cent  of  the  unskilled 
employees  who  left,  did  so  voluntarily;  15  per  cent  of  the  skilled 
and  19  per  cent  of  the  unskilled  were  discharged,  and  10  per  cent 
of  the  skilled  and  9  per  cent  of  the  unskilled  employees  leaving 
were  laid  off.  The  situation  is  quite  different,  however,  with 
regard  to  the  actual  rate  of  separation,  the  figures  indicating 
conclusively  that  the  lay-off,  discharge,  and  quitting  rates,  and, 
of  course,  the  total  separation  rate,  are  each  much  higher  for 
unskilled  than  for  skilled  workers,  the  total  separation  rate  being 
1  Compare  also  Tables  19  and  39. 


SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER         91 

.66  for  skilled  and  1.41  for  unskilled  workers.  The  subdivided 
separation  rates  show  about  the  same  relation  between  skilled 
and  unskilled,  so  that  it  would  appear  that  skilled  workers  are 
about  twice  as  stable  as  semiskilled  and  unskilled  ones. 

TABLE  24 

COMPARISON  OF  SEPARATION  RATES  OF  SKILLED  AND  UNSKILLED  EMPLOYEES 
LEAVING  VOLUNTARILY,  DISCHARGED,  AND  LAID  OFF  DURING  ONE  YEAR 

(1913,  1914,  and  1915;  22  establishments  reporting) 


SEPARATIONS  DURING  YEAR 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER 
FULL-YEAR  WORKER  1 

PERCENTAGE 
DISTRIBUTION 

SKILLED 

UNSKILLED 

SKILLED 

UNSKILLED 

SKILLED 

UNSKILLED 

All  Separations: 
Quits    .... 
Discharges      .     . 
Lay-offs     .     .     . 

16,484 
12,451 
2,432 
1,601 

22,251 

16,093 

4,i7i 
1,987 

.66 

•51 
.09 
.06 

I.4I 

1.03 

.27 
.12 

IOO 

76 
is 

10 

IOO 

72 
19 
9 

In  Table  25  the  relation  between  type  of  separation  and  size 
of  establishment  is  shown  on  the  basis  of  the  mobility  figures  of 
the  sixty-six  establishments  reporting  in  1913-14  and  one  hun- 
dred and  eight  establishments  reporting  in  1917-18. 

In  the  period  1913-14  there  is  observable  quite  a  marked  de- 
crease in  the  discharge  and  lay-off  rates  as  the  size  of  the  estab- 
lishment increases.  The  explanation  for  this  may  be  sought  in 
the  fact  that  the  large-size  establishments  were  less  seriously 
affected  by  the  industrial  depression  which  made  itself  felt  during 
the  latter  part  of  that  period.  The  situation  is  reversed,  how- 
ever, in  the  period  1917-18,  the  discharge  and  lay-off  rates 
being  slightly  higher  in  the  larger  establishments.  In  both 
periods  the  separation  rates  as  a  whole  show  a  slight  decrease 
as  the  size  of  the  establishment  increases. 


1  Based  on  74,199,000  skilled-labor  hours  and  46,980,000  unskilled-labor  hours 
put  in  during  year  in  the  22  establishments. 


92 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

RELATION  BETWEEN  SIZE  OF  ESTABLISHMENT  AND  TYPE  OF  SEPARATION 

VOLUNTARY  QUITTING), 


NUMBER  OP  EMPLOYEES 

NUMBER 
OF  ESTAB- 
LISHMENTS 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL-YEAR 
WORKERS 

TOTAL 
LABOR  HOURS 
(THOUSANDS) 

1913-14 
Under  1000                            .... 

29 

16,097 

48,291 

1000  and  under  5000 

29 

72,6.34 

217,902 

5000  and  over                        .... 

8 

77>399 

232,197 

Total                         .... 

66 

166,130 

498,390 

1917-18 
Under  1000      

67 

32,453 

97,359 

looo  and  under  5000  

32 

69,182 

207,546 

5000  and  over  

9 

105,668 

317,004 

Total     

108 

207,303 

621,909 

1913-14 

Under  1000      

1000  and  under  5000  

5000  and  over  

Total     

1917-18 

Under  1000      

1000  and  under  5000 

5000  and  over                   . 

Total 

CAUSES   OF   SEPARATION 


The  need  for  definite  and  detailed  information  on  the  causes' 
of  labor  instability  is  obvious.  _  In  order  to  devise  methods  of 
stabilizing  the  work  force  and  eliminating  unnecessary  labor 
changes,  it  is  quite  necessary  to  know  the  factors  responsible  for 


SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER        93 


25 

(DISCHARGE,  LAY-OFF,  ENTRY  INTO  MILITARY  SERVICE,  AND 
1913-14  AND  1917-18 


NUMBER  OF  EMPLOYEES  WHO— 

NUMBER  OF  EMPLOYEES 

WERE 
DISCHARGED 

WERE 
LAID  OFF 

ENTERED 
MILITARY 
SERVICE 

LEFT 
VOLUNTARILY 

TOTAL 

5,929 
^5,335 
9,646 

5,512 
18,880 
10,028 



12,014 
31,698 
46,865 

23,455 
65,913 
66,539 

I9I3-H 

Under  1000 
1000  and  under  5000 
5000  and  over 

Total 

1917-18 

Under  1000 
1000  and  under  5000 
5000  and  over 

Total 

1913-14 

Under  1000 
looo  and  under  5000 
5000  and  over 

Total 

1917-18 

Under  1000 
1000  and  under  5000 
5000  and  over 

Total 

30,910 

7,107 
12,952 
31,341 

34,420 

3,868 
10,201 
15,764 

4,110 
8,125 
",365 

90,577 

56,414 
97,097 
122,046 

155,907 

71,499 
128,375 
180,516 

51,400 

29,833 

23,600 

275,557 

380,390 

RATE,  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER,  OF 

DISCHARGE 

LAY-OFF 

ENTRY  INTO 
MILITARY 
SERVICE 

LEAVING 
VOLUNTARILY 

TOTAL 
SEPARA- 
TION 

•37 

.21 
•13 

•34 
.26 

•13 



•75 
•44 
.61 

I.46 
•gi 
.87 

.19 

.22 
.19 
•30 

.21 

.12 
•15 
•15 

•13 

.12 
.11 

•55 

1.74 
1.40 
1.16 

•95 

2.21 

1.86 
1.72 

•25 

.14 

.11 

i-33 

1.83 

the  labor  shiftings.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  call  attention  in 
this  place  to  the  fact  that  the  causes  of  labor  instability  present 
a  very  vast  and  complex  problem.  It  is  obvious  that  a  determi- 
nation of  these  causes,  because  of  their  complex  nature  and  the 
large  number  of  factors  to  be  considered,  would  necessitate  an 


94  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

inquiry  of  a  magnitude  quite  beyond  the  scope  of  the  present 
inquiry.  In  discussing  the  underlying  reasons  for  separations  we 
are  disregarding  here  the  separations  from  service  due  to  purely 
industrial  conditions  and  fluctuations  in  production,  that  is  to 
say,  forced  separations,  or  lay-offs,  the  occurrence  of  which 
depends  upon  whether  or  not  a  particular  job  has  been  finished 
or  whether  or  not  industrial  depression  has  set  in.  No  attempt 
is  made  here  to  discuss  that  part  of  the  labor  shifting  which  is 
due  to  maladjustment  of  labor  supply  and  demand  caused  by  an 
unorganized  labor  market,  by  a  defective  system  of  labor  dis- 
tribution, or  by  maladjustment  in  the  matter  of  wage  levels  for 
similar  work  in  different  localities,  etc. 

In  view,  therefore,  of  the  complexity  of  the  problem  and  the 
lack  of  information  on  the  subject,  it  is  proposed  to  discuss  here, 
not  the  causes  of  mobility  that  are  primarily  inherent  in  the 
industrial  community  situation,  but  the  more  personal  causes  of 
labor  shifting  as  those  causes  find  expression  in  the  separating 
employee  and  as  they  have  been  classified  by  individual  em- 
ployers, f  It  is  recognized,  of  course,  that  the  non-industrial  and 
personal  causes  are  inextricably  interwoven  with  the  conditions 
created  by  the  prevailing  industrial  situation,  j 
/  In  their  efforts  to  stabilize  the  labor  force  a  number  of  firms 
have  made  attempts  to  discover  the  causes  of  instability  and  more 
particularly  to  find  out  the  immediate,  or  precipitating,  causes 
for  separations  from  service.  They  have  done  this  on  the  assump- 
tion that  if  it  were  feasible  to  ascertain  the  fundamental  reasons 
why  men  leave  their  employ,  it  would  be  possible,  through  the 
tabulation  and  analysis  of  those  reasons,  to  show  the  real  causes 
of  instability.  It  was  felt,  moreover,  that  if  it  were  practicable 
to  ascertain  the  real  reasons  for  employees  leaving,  it  might 
be  then  relatively  easy  to  develop  a  record  which  would  be  of 
considerable  value  in  the  solution  of  the  employment  problem 
in  the  individual  establishments  concerned,  and  so  point  the 
way  toward  greater  stability,  v 

Even  in  this  individual  method  of  ascertaining  the  causes  for 


SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER         95 

labor  instability  there  are  serious  difficulties  to  be  overcome. 
Employment  managers  and  others  in  charge  of  the  work  force 
essay  to  interview  an  employee  who  is  about  to  leave  of  his  own 
accord.  This  interview  is  held,  of  course,  before  the  employee 
actually  severs  his  connection  with  the  firm.  At  the  interview 
the  employer  or  his  agent  tries  to  secure  a  frank  and  truthful 
statement  from  the  employee  regarding  the  actual  reasons  which 
are  impelling  him  to  leave.  Employers  point  out,  however,  the 
difficulties  involved  in  interviewing  prospective  quitters.  They 
say  that  it  is  difficult  to  do  this,  even  in  normal  times,  and  that  it 
was  especially  difficult  during  the  war  period  because  of  the  more 
independent  attitude  assumed  by  the  workers.  It  is  generally 
found  that  men  leaving  service  do  not  like  to  be  questioned  too 
closely  regarding  their  reasons  for  leaving,  and  often  plainly 
resent  such  inquiries.  It  is  claimed  that  in  many  cases  they  give 
some  fictitious  excuse  rather  than  a  substantial  reason,  and  when 
pressed  advance  the  most  plausible  reason  they  can  get  away 
with. 

From  the  standpoint  of  the  worker  it  is  perhaps  not  difficult 
to  understand  his  reluctance  to  give  full  information  regarding 
his  reasons  for  leaving.  Such  knowledge  in  the  possession  of 
the  employer  might  be  disadvantageous  to  the  employee  in  his 
search  for  a  new  job,  and  it  might  in  other  ways  have  the  effect 
of  restricting  his  freedom  of  movement.  The  employee  will  have 
observed  that  nearly  all  employment  departments  keep  careful 
records  of  employees'  past  records  and  that  employers  generally 
keep  each  other  informed  about  the  movements  of  former  em- 
ployees. 

To  the  difficulties  of  learning  from  employees  the  reasons 
for  leaving,  there  must  be  added  the  difficulty  of  analyzing 
and  classifying  the  results  obtained.  It  has  been  the  experience 
of  men  interviewing  prospective  quitters  that  even  where  the 
reason  for  quitting  has  been  obtained,  it  has  not  always  been  easy 
to  reduce  to  a  single  classifiable  category  the  manifold  motives 
which  may  have  animated  the  individual  in  his  desire  to  change 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


jobs.  Many  employment  managers  believe  that  only  in  the  case 
of  discharges  can  the  causes  of  separation  really  definitely  be 
known.  This  is  obviously  because  action  in  the  case  of  discharge 
proceeds  from  the  management  and  the  employee  has  nothing 
to  say  about  it. 

For  the  reasons  given  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  the  figures 
on  causes  for  quitting  which  are  presented  below  cannot  be 
regarded  as  more  than  an  indication  of  existing  conditions, 
although  employers  who  have  kept  such  figures  have  expressed 
the  opinion  that  in  most  cases  they  point  definitely  toward  cer- 
tain existing  maladjustments  and  to  particular  causes  that  need 
to  be  attacked.  In  Table  26  are  given  the  classified  assigned 
reasons  for  the  voluntary  separation  and  the  causes  for  the  dis- 
charge of  nearly  10,000  employees  in  six  metal  trades  establish- 
ments. 

TABLE  26 

REASONS  ADVANCED  FOR  VOLUNTARY  SEPARATION  FROM  SERVICES  OF  8140  EM- 
PLOYEES AND  CAUSES  FOR  DISCHARGE  OF  1439  EMPLOYEES,  IN  Six  METAL 
TRADES  ESTABLISHMENTS 


CA 

SES 

CA 

SES 

SEPARATION 

NUM. 

BER 

PER 

CENT 

CAUSE  OF  DISCHARGE 

NUM- 
BER 

PER 
CENT 

Wages  —  Dissatisfied  with 
wage  rate,  etc.     .     .     . 
Obtained  better  job  or  re- 

2,OOI 

24.6 

Incompetent 
Unreliable     . 
Lazy  .... 

478 
422 
148 

33-2 
29-3 
10  •? 

turned  to  former  job 
Nature    of    work  —  too 
hard,  heavy,  wet,  dusty, 
dirty    

984 

4IO 

12.  1 
r.O 

Careless  . 
Insubordination 
Misconduct  .     . 
Trouble  breeder 

66 
93 
54 
io<c 

4.6 
6.5 
3-7 
7.7 

Dissatisfied  

674 

8.3 

Liquor     .     . 

73 

t.I 

Monotony     

218 

2.7 

Physical    inability  —  sick- 
ness, injuries,  etc. 
Leaving  town     .... 
Return  to  school 
All  other  known  reasons    . 
Military  service       .      .     . 
Unknown  —  failed      to     re- 
Dort 

461 

453 
131 
58 

737 

2  OI  3 

5-7 
5-6 
1.6 

•7 
9.0 

24.  7 

Total     .     .     . 

8  I4.O 

IOO  O 

Total     .     .     . 

1,470 

IOO.O 

SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER         97 

The  classification  of  causes  presented  in  this  table  is  anything 
but  satisfactory.  A  more  detailed  and  scientific  arrangement 
was  impossible,  however,  because  of  the  necessity  for  making  a 
combination  of  the  records  of  the  several  establishments,  each 
of  which  put  a  somewhat  different  interpretation  upon  their 
recorded  reasons  for  leaving  or  causes  for  discharge.  Neverthe- 
less, some  of  the  reasons  listed  can  be  somewhat  more  fully 
explained.  Dissatisfaction  with  wages  is  evidently  the  largest 
single  reason  for  voluntary  separation,  and  no  doubt  it  is  safe 
to  assume  that  the  wage  motive  in  one  form  or  another  enters 
into  most  of  the  specified  reasons  for  leaving.  For  those  classi- 
fied under  " better  jobs"  the  question  of  wages  is  not  supposed 
to  have  been  the  prime  motive  in  making  the  change,  but  the 
governing  causes  for  leaving  were  said  to  have  been  more  desir- 
able work,  the  location  of  the  plant,  etc.  Under  "nature  of  work" 
are  classed  a  considerable  number  of  quitters  who  under  the 
stimulus  of  higher  wages  or  the  "  work-or-fight "  order  entered 
mechanical  occupations,  but  not  being  accustomed  to  the  grease, 
dirt,  noise,  etc.,  inherent  in  the  nature  of  the  work,  constantly 
have  shifted  in  the  hope  of  finding  more  pleasant  work.  It  has 
been  stated  that  the  relative  ease  with  which  a  job  could  be 
secured  during  the  war  period  made  workers  more  ready  to  throw 
up  jobs  which  seemed  undesirable  to  them,  but  which  in  normal 
times  they  would  be  reluctant  to  leave. 

For  those  classified  under  "dissatisfied"  no  one  specific  reason 
seems  to  have  been  applicable.  Employment  managers  believe 
that  the  question  of  wages  or  work  is  seldom  a  factor  with  this 
type  of  labor,  but  that  its  desire  to  shift  is  due  largely  to  an 
inherent  instability  and  that  persons  of  this  type  are  unable  to 
assign  any  specific  or  logical  reason  for  their  desire  to  change. 
Employment  managers  believe  these  considerations  to  be  equally 
true  of  a  large  number  of  those  who  failed  to  report  before  leaving. 
It  is  said  that  the  number  of  employees  leaving  in  this  manner 
during  the  war  period  was  greater  than  at  any  previous  time. 
This  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  shortage  of  help  necessi- 


98  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

tated  the  employment  of  the  so-called  "floater,"  a  type  of  work- 
man which  in  normal  times  would  not  be  employed  at  all  by 
these  concerns.  It  has  been  found  to  be  characteristic  of  em- 
ployees of  this  sort  that  they  never  stay  on  a  job  for  more  than 
a  brief  period,  soon  dropping  out,  without  giving  notice,  to  accept 
work  elsewhere. 

Under  "incompetent/7  employment  managers  have  classified 
certain  workers  who  after  a  trial  have  been  found  to  be  unfit  or 
unsuited  for  the  work  for  which  they  were  hired.  It  was  pointed 
out  that  although  these  persons  were  willing  to  work  they  were 
found  to  be  incapable  of  learning  the  work  and  were  responsible 
for  a  great  deal  of  spoiled  work.  This  group  also  included  workers 
who  misrepresented  their  occupational  skill  when  taken  on,  as, 
for  example,  by  using  certain  acquired  phrases  that  would  indi- 
cate familiarity  with  the  kind  of  work  required  of  them.  The 
number  discharged  for  incompetency,  it  is  asserted,  increased 
during  the  war  period  because  the  urgent  need  of  men  made  care- 
ful selection  less  possible.  The  management  has  classified  those 
as  "unreliable"  whose  attendance  record  was  bad,  who  were 
habitually  late  in  the  morning,  or  who  were  prone  to  lay  off  too 
frequently  and  for  trivial  reasons.  A  good  many  of  those  dis- 
charged for  being  unreliable  are  suspected  by  employment 
managers  of  having  looked  for  jobs,  and  possibly  of  having  tried 
out  jobs,  in  other  plants,  while  absent. 

Employment  managers  have  classified  as  "trouble  breeders" 
those  who  have  attempted  to  create  dissatisfaction  among  their 
fellow  workers  by  urging  or  intimidating  them  to  concerted  action 
of  some  sort,  as,  for  instance,  the  unionizing  of  the  shop  or  the 
presentation  of  demands  for  wage  increases,  revision  of  piece 
or  premium  rates,  etc.  The  relatively  large  number  discharged 
for  being  "trouble  breeders"  may,  perhaps,  be  explained  by  the 
fact  that  it  is  the  policy  of  the  establishments  from  which  the 
figures  of  the  above  table  have  been  secured  to  deal  with 
their  industrial  workers  only  as  individuals. 

A  somewhat  detailed  record  of  the  number  of  people  who  left 


SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER 


99 


the  employ  of  a  large  mail  order  house  during  1917  has  been 
compiled  and  is  presented  in  Table  27. 


TABLE  27 

REASONS  ADVANCED  FOR  VOLUNTARY  SEPARATION  FROM  SERVICE  OF  13,664  EM- 
PLOYEES AND  CAUSES  FOR  DISCHARGE  OF  2849  EMPLOYEES,  DURING  1917,  IN  A 
MAIL  ORDER  HOUSE.  (ESTABLISHMENT  No.  27-109) 


CAS 

ES 

CA 

5ES 

REASONS  FOR  VOLUNTARY 
SEPARATION 

NUM- 
BER 

PER 

CENT 

CAUSE  TOR  DISCHARGE 

NUM- 
BER 

PER 

CENT 

Other  positions: 
More  promising  position 

2,080 

15.2 

Unsatisfactory: 
Too  slow  .     .     . 

776 

27.2 

Better  salary  .... 

1,109 

8.1 

Indifference 

352 

12.4 

Former  position  and  re- 

Carelessness   .     . 

255 

9.0 

turn  to  trade    .      .     . 

268 

2.0 

Irregular  attend- 

Going into  business  .     . 

44 

•3 

ance       .     .     . 

309 

10.8 

To  learn  trade      .      .     . 

48 

•4 

References       .     . 

56 

2.O 

Position  nearer  home 

62 

.5 

Dishonesty  (sus- 

Leaving city  .... 

2,047 

iS-o 

pected  of  pilfer- 

To marry      

229 

i-7 

ing,  etc.)     .     . 

473 

16.6 

On  account  of  health    . 

823 

6.0 

Insubordination 

327 

"•5 

Dissatisfied  : 

Drinking 

79 

2.8 

With  working  conditions 

755 

5-5 

Fighting  .  ^  .     .  ^   . 

44 

i-S 

With  salary    .... 

221 

1.6 

Financial  difficulties 

13 

•5 

Work  too  hard     .      .     . 

273 

2.O 

Enemy  aliens 

8 

•3 

Resented  criticism     .      . 

134 

I.O 

Other  causes      .     . 

157 

5-5 

Refused  to  be  transferred 

107 

.8 

Refused  temporary  work 

93 

•7 

Did  not  like  supervision 

67 

•5 

Distance  too  great    .     . 

92 

•7 

To  go  to  school 

565 

4.1 

To  stay  at  home 

810 

5-9 

No  reason: 

Worked    less    than    two 

weeks;  failed  to  report 

2,527 

18.5 

Worked  more  than  two 

weeks;  failed  to  report 

i,3io 

9.6 

Total       

13,664. 

IOO.O 

Total   .     . 

2,84.0 

IOO.O 

AO>              T" 

*    *J*-'*rV 

During  the  year  1917  there  occurred  in  this  establishment 
22,700  separations.  Of  this  number  5204,  or  22.9  per  cent,  were 
due  to  reduction  of  force  and  983,  or  4.3  per  cent,  to  entrance  into 
military  service.  Of  the  remaining  separations,  with  the  causes 


too  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

of  which  we  are  here  specifically  concerned,  13,664,  or  60.2  per 
cent  of  all,  were  voluntary,  and  2849,  or  12.6  per  cent  of  all,  were 
due  to  discharge. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  figures  of  Table  27  that  of  the  total 
number  of  voluntary  eparations,  about  25  per  cent  resulted 
from  employees  either  having  obtained  more  promising  positions 
or  positions  which  offered  higher  wages.  The  number  "  leaving 
city"  seems  to  represent  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  total 
number  leaving.  It  is  very  doubtful,  however,  whether  this 
number  really  left  the  city;  it  is  quite  likely  that  in  the  majority 
of  the  cases  it  was  only  a  proffered  excuse.  Those  who  were 
dissatisfied  for  various  reasons  number  12.8  per  cent  of  the  total. 
A  significant  commentary  on  the  whole  stability  situation  in 
this  establishment  is  implicit  in  the  rather  large  number  of  per- 
sons who  simply  dropped  out  of  service  without  giving  any  notice 
of  leaving,  either  in  advance  or  subsequently  —  nearly  30  per 
cent  of  the  total  number  leaving  voluntarily  left  without  giving 
notice. 

Among  the  establishments  whose  labor  turnover  experience 
was  examined  in  some  detail  by  the  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics 
was  one  of  the  largest  department  stores  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
This  store  went  to  no  little  trouble  to  ascertain  the  reasons  for 
employees  quitting  and  to  tabulate  not  only  the  number  quitting 
for  various  assigned  reasons  but  also  the  number  discharged  for 
specified  cause,  assigned,  naturally,  by  the  company.  This  con- 
cern also  kept  account  of  the  proportion  of  those  rehired  to  new 
accessions.  A  full  analysis  of  these  records  is  given  in  a  special 
report l  published  by  the  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  on  the  turn- 
over experience  of  this  department  store.  The  tabular  summary 
which  appears  in  that  report  is  herewith  reproduced,  with  some 
modification,  in  Table  28. 

The  only  classification  of  the  accessions  is  into  "hired  new" 
and  " rehired."  During  the  nine  months  for  which  data  were 

111  Employment  Policy  and  Labor  Stability  in  a  Pacific  Coast  Department 
Store,"  by  P.  F.  Brissenden,  9  Monthly  Labor  Review  1399  (November,  1919). 


SEPARATION  AND  CAUSES  OF  TURNOVER        101 


TABLE  28 

NUMBER,  PER  CENT  DISTRIBUTION,  AND  ANNUAL  RATE  PER  FULL- YEAR  WORKER 
OF  EMPLOYEES  HIRED  AND  REHIRED  AND  OF  THOSE  LEAVING  FOR  SPECIFIED 
REASONS  IN  YEAR  ENDING  OCTOBER  31,  1918. 

(Department  Store.     Establishment  No.  216) 


NUMBER 


PER  CENT 
DISTRIBUTION 


RATE  PER 
FULL-YEAR 

WORKER  1 


Accessions:2 
Hired  new 
Rehired 

Total  accessions     .     .     . 

Separations: 
Discharged  — 
Incompetent 
Misconduct 
Careless  ...... 

Unreliable     ..... 

Trouble  breeder       ... 

Dishonest 

Lazy 

Insubordinate 

Total  discharged       .. 
Laid  off 

Left  voluntarily: 
Wages      .    _. 
Family  moving 
Other  position 
School 
111  health       ...... 

Needed  at  home 

Dissatisfied 

Vacation;  needed  rest  ... 

War 

Marriage  (women) 

Work  too  heavy  or  disagreeable 

All  other  reasons  4    . 


Total  left  voluntarily 
Total  Separations 


908 
223 


62 


431 


228 

154 

135 

127 

117 

75 

48 

45 

39 

24 

22 

61 


1,075 


1,568 


80 
20 


100 


34 

21 
13 
13 

8 
6 
3 

2 


21 
14 
13 
12 
II 

7 

4 
4 
4 

2 

2 

6 


I.OI 

•25 


1.26 


.02 

.01 

.01 
.01 
.01 

8 


.07 


.48 


•25 
•17 
•15 
.14 
•13 
.08 

•05 
•05 
.04 

•03 

.02 
.07 


1.18 


1.73 


1  Based  on  standard  working  force  of  899  full-year  workers. 
J  For  nine  months  ending  Oct.  31,  1918. 
*  Less  than  .005. 

•"Leaving  city,"  33;  "going  into  essential  work,"  6;  "going  into  business,"  3;  on  account  o!  "  hous- 
ing conditions,"  2;  reasons  unknown,  17. 


102  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

available,  it  appears  that  20  per  cent  of  all  of  those  hired  had  been 
in  the  company's  service  at  some  previous  time.  Among  the 
reasons  assigned  for  discharge  the  most  frequent  seem  to  have 
been  incompetency,  "  misconduct, "  carelessness,  and  unrelia- 
bility. Among  those  leaving  voluntarily  the  most  prevalent 
reasons  given  are  dissatisfaction  with  wages,  desire  to  take  an- 
other position  (which  in  some  cases  is  desired  because  of  the 
higher  wage  offered),  family  moving  out  of  town,  going  to  school, 
and  ill  health.  Using  the  last  column  as  a  basis,  it  is  evident  that 
during  the  year  reported,  for  each  100  full-time  workers  employed 
there  were  101  entering  the  store  as  new  employees,  and,  in 
addition,  25  former  employees  rehired.  Turning  to  the  separa- 
tions, which  are  our  primary  concern  here,  it  appears  that,  for 
every  hundred  full-year  workers  employed,  there  were  173 
separations;  7  of  these  were  discharges,  48  were  lay-offs  (on 
account  of  lack  of  work),  and  118  were  quits.  Scrutinizing  the 
latter  more  closely,  we  find  that  25,  for  every  hundred  employed, 
quit  on  account  of  unsatisfactory  wages,  17  quit  because  the 
family  was  moving,  15  on  account  of  another  job,  14  to  enter 
school,  13  because  of  ill  health,  8  because  needed  at  home,  5 
because  "  dissatisfied/'  the  same  number  for  a  vacation  (without 
pay)  or  a  needed  rest,  and  4  for  war  work. 


CHAPTER  VH 

SEASONAL  INFLUENCE  ON  LABOR  MOBILITY 

IN  the  figures  shown  in  the  preceding  chapters  fluctuations 
in  mobility  rates  from  year  to  year  with  changing  industrial 
conditions  have  been  repeatedly  observed.  While  the  figures 
showing  the  mobility  for  the  year  as  a  whole  reflect  the  sum 
total  of  the  labor  changes  that  have  taken  place  during  the  year, 
they  do  not  indicate  the  marked  fluctuations  in  mobility  at 
relatively  short  periods  within  the  year,  —  fluctuations  traceable 
to  the  successive  vicissitudes  of  the  industrial  situation.  For 
example,  labor  changes  may  occur  with  great  intensity  over  a 
very  short  period  in  the  year,  while  over  the  remainder  of  the 
year  the  changes  may  be  very  insignificant.  Without  showing 
their  seasonal  variations,  this  might  make  the  figures  for  the 
years  as  a  whole  appear  quite  low,  while  actually  at  the  same 
periods  the  labor  change  rates  may  have  been  far  above  the  one 
shown  for  the  year,  and  at  other  periods  the  rates  may  be  con- 
siderably lower  than  the  rate  shown  for  the  year  as  a  whole. 

SEASONAL  AND  CYCLICAL  FLUCTUATIONS,    1910-19 

The  figures  of  Table  29  which  show  the  monthly  trend  in  flux 
rates  from  January,  1910,  to  December,  1919,  inclusive,  bring 
out  in  greater  detail  the  existing  variations  in  the  mobility  rates 
and  the  extent  to  which  mobility  figures  immediately  reflect 
the  industrial  conditions  prevailing  at  the  time.1  The  flux  rate 

1  The  figures  of  Table  29  are  based*  upon  following  numbers  of  establishments 
reporting  monthly  figures: 

1910  —  3  establishments  1915  —  30  establishments 

1911—  6  "  1916  —  10  " 

1912 —  8  1917  —  20     " 
IQI3  —  39  1918  —  19 

1914  —  26  1919 —  9     " 

103 


104 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


figures  of  Table  29  and,  in  addition,  the  corresponding  accession 
and  separation  rates  are  shown  in  Chart  F.1  Since  replacement 
rates,  as  explained  above,  correspond  with  accession  rates  when 
the  accession  rates  are  lower  than  the  separation  rates  and  with 
separation  rates  when  separation  rates  are  lower  than  accession 

TABLE  29 

LABOR  FLUX  RATES,  BY  MONTHS,  FROM  JANUARY,  1910,  TO  DECEMBER,  1919, 

INCLUSIVE  2 


TOTAL  LABOR  CHANGE  (FLUX)  RATE  PER  FULL-TIME  WORKER  IN  — 

MONTH 

WHOLE 

PERIOD 

IQIO 

IQII 

IQIZ 

IQI3 

1914 

1915 

1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1910- 

19 

January 

2.49 

1.32 

1.32 

3-24 

.29 

1.14 

3-Si 

2.85 

3-5i 

2.82 

2-55 

February 

2-55 

1.47 

1.44 

2.88 

.26 

i-35 

3-57 

2-37 

3-42 

1.92 

2.40 

March 

3-75 

1.77 

I.7I 

3-39 

•S3 

1.65 

3-oo 

2.37 

4.20 

1.89 

2.70 

April    . 
May     . 

4.20 
4-05 

1.83 
2.13 

2.IO 

2.25 

3-93 
3-75 

.44 
•95 

1.83 
i-59 

3-27 
3-24 

2.82 
4.02 

4.92 
4.71 

1.83 
1.83 

3-03 
3-06 

June     . 

3-87 

2.25 

2.31 

3.12 

•i% 

1.47 

3-30 

3-8l 

4.08 

i.  80 

2.76 

July    . 

3-57 

1.98 

2-49 

2.94 

•5o 

i-53 

2.IO 

3-48 

4.26 

1.77 

2.49 

August 

4.08 

2.13 

2.70 

2.31 

•83 

i-53 

2.79 

4.II 

4.14 

2.40 

2-43 

September 

2.79 

I.4I 

2.46 

2-37 

•83 

2-37 

2.31 

3-93 

3-15 

2.46 

2.46 

October     .     . 

2.22 

1.38 

2-55 

1.89 

•44 

2.19 

2.O4 

3-69 

3-o6 

2.61 

2.16 

November 

1.92 

1.29 

2.07 

i-53 

.11 

3-15 

1.47 

3.36 

2.64 

1.83 

1.98 

December 

I.  II 

I.I4 

1.89 

1.26 

•23 

2.31 

1.74 

3-54 

2.40 

i.  20 

1.  80 

Year      .      . 

3-05 

1.67 

2.  II 

2.72 

i-S5 

1.84 

2.70 

3.36 

3-7i 

2.03 

2.48 

rates,  it  follows  that  the  lowest  points  on  the  chart  mark  the  rate 
and  trend  of  labor  replacement.  That  is  to  say,  whichever  line 
happens  to  be  the  lowest  marks  replacement. 

The  monthly  flux  rate  figures  in  the  table  show  how  wide  a 
seasonal  range  of  mobility  is  covered  in  each  yearly  rate.  The 
flux  rate  was  relatively  high  in  1910,  a  year  of  business  expan- 
sion, but  dropped  during  the  depression  period  of  1911,  falling  in 

1  Figures  for  flux  curve  in  Table  29;  figures  for  other  curves  in  Appendix,  Table  D. 
The  chart  has  been  reproduced,  with  some  modification,  from  report  on  labor  mo- 
bility, 10  Mo.  Labor  Rev.  1358. 

z  Reprinted  after  shifting  of  rates  to  full-year  worker  base,  from  report  on 
"  Mobility  of  Labor  in  American  Industry,"  10  Mo.  Labor  Rev.  1356  (June,  1920). 


.a 


106  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

December  to  the  low  flux  (i.e.  high  stability)  rate  of  1.14,  a 
degree  of  stability  not  again  reached  until  the  fall  of  1914,  in 
November  of  which  year  of  business  depression  it  fell  to  i.u. 
The  flux  rate  rose  generally  in  1912  and  1913,  but  dropped  toward 
the  end  of  1913  and  remained  low  during  1914  and  until  the  fall 
of  1915,  when  it  rose  slightly,  followed  by  a  further  rise  and  con- 
tinued high  mobility  levels  during  the  winter  and  spring  of  1916. 
The  summer  and  fall  of  1916  and  the  winter  of  1917  were  periods 
of  greater  stability.  In  the  late  spring  of  1917,  after  our  entry 
into  the  war,  the  labor  flux  rate  jumped  to  higher  points  than  it 
had  touched  since  the  spring  of  1913.  There  was  —  and  this  is 
an  unusual  circumstance  —  only  a  very  slight  increase  in  mo- 
bility during  the  following  summer,  fall,  and  winter.  With  the 
spring  of  1918  the  rate  climbed  again,  and  this  time  to  high  points 
not  reached  at  any  other  time  before  or  since,  during  the  decade 
covered  by  the  figures.  The  rate  fell  considerably  during  the 
summer  and  fall  of  1918,  and,  despite  the  almost  invariable 
tendency  to  rise  in  the  spring,  it  continued  low  during  the  winter 
of  1919  and  gradually  fell  during  the  spring,  rising  somewhat  in 
the  fall,  but  dropping  sharply  in  November  and  December. 

An  examination  of  the  chart  will  show  that  the  very  unusual 
decrease  in  mobility  in  the  spring  of  1919  was  largely  due  to  the 
fact  that  in  addition  to  a  marked  decrease  in  the  separation  rate 
(unusual  at  this  time  of  year)  there  was  an  even  more  pro- 
nounced drop  in  the  accession  rate.  It  is  evident,  also,  that  in 
the  fall  of  1919  the  accession  rate  rose  rapidly  until  October, 
and  then  dropped  rapidly,  while  the  separation  rate  continued 
to  drop  through  the  summer  and  fall. 

SEASONAL  FLUCTUATIONS  IN  INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS 

The  seasonal  fluctuations  in  labor  mobility  as  they  occur  in  a 
machine  tool  manufacturing  plant  are  shown  in  Table  30,  on  page 
107.  The  figures  show  for  the  four-year  period  1916-19  not  only 
the  monthly  trend  in  the  flux,  for  the  work  force  as  a  whole, 
but  also  the  monthly  trend  for  the  same  period  for  the  day  and 


SEASONAL  INFLUENCE  ON  LABOR  MOBILITY    107 


night  forces  separately.  Attention  has  been  called  above,  in 
the  discussion  of  Table  18,  to  the  fact  that  the  night  force  in 
this  establishment  is  nearly  three  times  as  mobile  as  the  day 
force.  Table  30  naturally  shows  up  the  same  difference  in 

TABLE  30 

RATE  OF  TOTAL  LABOR  CHANGE  (LABOR  FLUX  RATE)  OF  DAY  AND  NIGHT  FORCES 
OF  A  MACHINE  TOOL  MANUFACTURING  ESTABLISHMENT  (No.  35-144),  1916- 
1919 


RATE  OF  TOTAL  LABOR  CHANGE  (LABOR  FLTJX)  PER  FULL-TIME  WORKER 

IN  EACH  SPECIFIED  MONTH 

MONTH 

DAY  FORCE 

NIGHT  FORCE 

TOTAL  WORKING  FORCE 

1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

January    . 

2.28 

2.41 

1.92 

2.2.5 

7.68 

3-i8 

7.98 

4-05 

3-33 

1.71 

3.27 

2.43 

February 

2.70 

1.86 

1.  80 

.69 

5-97 

546 

4.89 

.87 

2.40 

2.55 

2.52 

•72 

March 

2.64 

1.77 

2.49 

.69 

8.04 

7-35 

4.41 

•39 

3-90 

2.79 

2-94 

.66 

April  . 

3.78 

1.98 

3-75 

•75 

5.22 

7-29 

5-25 

1.77 

4.11 

2.97 

4.08 

•84 

May    . 

4.83 

1.98 

2.58 

.66 

10.59 

8-34 

4.86 

1.23 

6.09 

3-15 

3-06 

.72 

June    . 

2.94 

2.46 

2.58 

•32 

9.60 

8.76 

6.42 

2-37 

4.56 

3-75 

3-39 

1.41 

July    . 

3-27 

2.82 

2.64 

•74 

7-77 

9.66 

6.30 

7-35 

4.29 

4-23 

342 

2-43 

August 

2.82 

3-09 

3.8i 

.80 

7-89 

6.00 

8.55 

9.00 

3-96 

4.26 

4-77 

3.00 

September 

2.70 

3.21 

3-06 

•35 

6.42 

5.82 

5.01 

6.09 

348 

3-72 

3-.SI 

2.26 

October    . 

2.25 

2.55 

1.65 

.89 

8.82 

6.72 

3-78 

5.85 

3-21 

3-39 

2.13 

2.78 

November 

1.83 

2.4O 

2.67 

•47 

6.00 

8.52 

7.68 

5-13 

2.70 

3-54 

3.66 

2.28 

December 

1.26 

2-37 

.72 

.26 

2.76 

5-40 

1.77 

3-33 

i-53 

3-03 

.87 

1.77 

Total    .     . 

2-73 

2-34 

2.49 

1-35 

7.11 

7.11 

5-70 

4-59 

3-72 

3-27 

3.i8 

1.83 

stability  and  demonstrates,  furthermore,  that,  except  in  March, 
1919,  there  was  no  month  during  the  whole  four-year  period  that 
did  not  show  greater  stability  for  the  day  force. 

SEASONAL  CHANGES  AMONG  DIFFERENT  OCCUPATIONS 

The  figures  given  in  the  last  two  tables  refer  to  the  monthly 
trend  in  the  mobility  rates  of  the  general  body  of  employees 
without  reference  to  seasonal  fluctuations  of  given  occupations 
within  the  work  force.  In  one  of  the  large  car-building  plants 
(Establishment  No.  102)  employment  records  were  kept  in  such 
form  that  the  monthly  labor  flux  rates  of  some  of  the  more 


io8 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 
LABOR  FLUX  RATES  FOR  EACH  MONTH  IN  SELECTED  OCCUPATIONS  IN  A  CAR- 


OCCUPATION 

RATB  OF 
TOTAL  LABOR 
CHANGE 
(FLUX  RATE) 

PER 

FULL-TIME 
WORKER 
FOR  THE  YEAR 

RATE  or  TOTAL  LABOR  CHANGE  (Fmx 

JUNE 

JULY 

AUG. 

SEPT. 

OCT. 

Assemblers,  filers,  and  welders  . 
Blacksmiths    
Bookkeepers,  clerks,  etc.      .     . 
Cabinet  makers 

3.12 
2.49 
2.25 
2-39 
7-77 
2.21 

4-77 
6.44 

4-74 
2.90 

1.74 
10.80 

3-03 
5-6i 
3.78 
11.76 
3-5i 

6.66 
2.70 

3-39 
5.10 

2.04 
i.  02 

3-54 
2.28 
10.17 
3-6o 

543 
6.09 

5-52 
2.07 
3-09 
3-24 
2.25 

747 

2-37 
2.91 
4.92 
18.96 
2-55 

5-i6 
3-33 
5.16 
5-i6 

1.65 
2.25 
2.67 
2.52 
10.14 
4.62 
549 
5-31 
4-95 
2.31 
1.98 
2.31 
1.71 
7-35 

243 
447 
4-38 
14.40 
3-o6 

8.07 

3-33 
2.49 
2.76 

6.03 
7.11 
2.04 
1.23 
8.91 
3-69 
4-83 
8.55 

12.21 
4.50 

6.00 
2.67 

2.13 
9.90 

4-56 
8.94 

5-91 
14.22 

3-27 

11.31 

3.78 
5-13 
5.3i 

4.68 
540 

i-95 
2.19 
8.19 
i-35 
447 
5.88 
8.13 
3-90 
2.25 
2.67 
.87 
8.01 

3-Si 

747 
2.46 
12.15 
5-25 

8-43 
3-i8 
2.58 
3-09 

1.92 
1.50 
2.13 
2-34 
5-67 
2.07 

3-33 
4.29 

2.67 

3-09 
2.25 
i.  08 

•57 
10.71 

2-34 
5-34 
3-75 
12.42 
4.26 

7.11 

4-35 
2.70 

6.54 

Car  body  builders     .... 
Car  bottom  builders       .     .     . 
Car  electricians 

Car  steam  fitters       .... 
Car  truck  builders     .... 
Die  and  tool  makers       .     .     . 
Hammersmiths 

Inside  car  finishers    .... 
Inside  car  trimmers  .... 
Laborers   

Machinists,    bench  machinists, 
etc  

Millwrights     

Painters    

Riveters    

Roof  fitters     

Shearsmen,  punch-press  opera- 
tors, etc  

Tinners     

Upholsterers  

Wood  machine  operators 

important  occupations  within  the  plant  could  be  computed. 
The  rates  are  shown  in  Table  31  above. 

The  flux  rates  given  here  not  only  show  very  wide  differences 
between  the  different  occupations,  but  reveal  even  more  marked 
fluctuations  from  month  to  month  in  each  occupation.  The 
highest  flux  rates  and  at  the  same  time  the  widest  range  of  rates 
during  the  year  ending  May  31,  1918,  were  for  riveters,  whose 
rates  ranged  from  18.96  in  June  down  to  5.85  in  December,  with 
a  flux  rate  for  the  year  of  11.76,  which  means  nearly  12  labor 
changes  for  every  riveter  in  the  standard  work  force  of  riveters 
—  changes  equivalent  to  six  complete  overturns  of  the  riveting 


SEASONAL  INFLUENCE  ON  LABOR  MOBILITY     109 


31 

BUILDING  PLANT  (ESTABLISHMENT  No.  102)  FOR  YEAR  ENDED  MAY  31,  1918 


RATE)  PER  FULL-TIME  WORKER  FOR  EACH  SPECIFIED  MONTH 

OCCUPATION 

Nov. 

DEC. 

JAN. 

FEB. 

MARCH 

APRIL 

MAY 

1-53 

1.77 

1.74 

4-23 

6-39 

4.17 

5-34 

Assemblers,  filers,  and  welders 

.96 

1.71 

2.40 

.96 

1.71 

1.65 

3-33 

Blacksmiths 

1.38 

1.44 

i-35 

1.02 

i-95 

3-48 

4.11 

Bookkeepers,  clerks,  etc. 

2.IO 

1.  02 

•75 

i-95 

5-25 

4.71 

2.70 

Cabinet  makers 

5.62 

S-I3 

6.75 

5-07 

1.68 

5-97 

10.68 

Car  body  builders 

•93 

1.26 

1.62 

.96 

2.19 

.90 

2-55 

Car  bottom  builders 

f 
5.62 

4-83 

5-28 

348 

4-32 

7.26 

6.81 

Car  electricians 

7.68 

6.00 

6.  20 

4.14 

7-47 

7.14 

8.31 

Car  steam  fitters 

2.22 

1-95 

4.20 

3-84 

2.94 

1.62 

3-57 

Car  truck  builders 

2.82 

2.19 

1.71 

2.85 

2.40 

3-03 

3.66 

Die  and  tool  makers 

1.71 

2.64 

1.56 

•75 

2.25 

2.13 

3-66 

Hammersmiths 

1.38 

.96 

.84 

3.36 

1.62 

1.83 

1.05 

Inside  car  finishers 

2.22 

1.50 

i.  20 

3-33 

1.71 

1.65 

2.25 

Inside  car  trimmers 

11.07 

12.21 

12.06 

9.18 

13-83 

14.40 

14.28 

Laborers 

Machinists,  bench  machinists, 

3.21 

3-03 

2-49 

2-37 

3-57 

3-oo 

4.02 

etc.  ^ 

5-6l 

6.09 

3-72 

5-07 

5.58 

6.21 

6.12 

Millwrights 

3-81 

1.92 

2.13 

4.17 

3-8i 

3-30 

4-56 

Painters 

7.56 

5-85 

6.24 

8.94 

13.92 

8.01 

13-71 

Riveters 

3.00 

1.68 

2.85 

4.68 

S-i6 

2.61 

4.38 

Roof  fitters 

Shearsmen,  punch-press  ope- 

6.42 

4-38 

3-72 

4-32 

7-29 

5-3i 

9.48 

rators,  etc. 

3.78 

3-09 

.96 

1.23 

2.13 

1.50 

1.47 

Tinners 

2.6l 

1.98 

1.32 

3-99 

4.20 

2.88 

6.60 

Upholsterers 

4.56 

i.  95 

2.OI 

5-io 

7-95 

9-75 

6.45 

Wood  machine  operators 

personnel.  The  next  highest  flux  level  and  the  next  widest  range 
from  month  to  month  occurred  among  common  laborers,  whose 
flux  rate  ranged  from  14.40  in  April  down  to  7.35  in  July,  with 
a  flux  rate  for  the  year  of  10.80,  —  this  being  equivalent  to  5^ 
complete  overturns  of  the  common  labor  section  of  the  work  force. 
The  lowest  occupational  flux  rate  in  the  plant  was  for  inside  car 
trimmers,  in  whose  case  the  flux  rate  ranged  from  .57  in  October 
t°  3-33  m  February,  with  a  rate  of  1.74  for  the  year,  a  rate 
equivalent  to  less  than  one  complete  overturn  of  the  inside  car- 
trimming  section  of  the  work  force.  In  most  of  the  occupations 
shown  the  mobility  rates  are  generally  low  during  the  winter 


no      LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

months  as  compared  with  the  rates  for  the  year.  In  these 
monthly  figures  of  the  mobility  of  occupations  one  may  see  how 
the  various  factors  of  influence  previously  mentioned  are  im- 
mediately reflected  in  the  mobility  figures  from  month  to 
month.1 

NORMAL  SEASONAL  CHANGES  IN  STABILITY 

•A  composite  picture  of  the  seasonal  fluctuations  in  labor  mo- 
bility over  an  extended  period  of  time  can  be  constructed  from 
the  monthly  mobility  rates  for  the  period  1910-1919.  Such  a 
picture  will  naturally  iron  out  the  irregularities  due  to  business 
fluctuations  from  year  to  year  and  show  what  may  be  called  the 
normal  seasonal  trend  in  labor  mobility.  The  figures  are  pre- 
sented in  Tables  32  and  33  where  the  monthly  figures  (shown 
in  Table  D  in  the  Appendix)  for  each  month  of  each  year  of  the 
decade  covered  are  brought  together  in  such  a  way  as  to  combine 
the  figures  for  identical  months  (Table  32)  and  for  the  four  sea- 
sons of  the  year  (Table  33).  The  rate  figures  of  Table  32  are 
presented  graphically  in  Chart  G,  on  page  112. 

It  is  believed,  as  already  suggested,  that  such  a  combination 
of  the  figures  as  is  shown  in  these  two  tables  effectively  neutral- 
izes most  of  those  factors  in  mobility  which  are  of  a  purely 
industrial  character  and  that,  as  a  result,  the  influence  of  the 
different  seasons  is  more  accurately  reflected.  The  figures  indi- 
cate a  uniform  tendency  to  maximum  labor  mobility  in  the  spring, 
a  gradual  lessening  of  mobility  during  the  summer  and  early  fall, 
which  is  the  period  of  minimum  mobility,  and  finally  an  increase 
during  the  late  fall  and  winter,  culminating  again  in  the  maximum 
mobility  period  of  the  following  spring.  These  conclusions  are 
confirmed  by  the  curves  of  Chart  G.  The  high  mobility  rates 
in  the  spring  months  indicate  that  the  shif  tings  are  indeed  much 
more  numerous  at  that  season  of  the  year.  The  number  of 

1  See  also  Table  20  above,  where  mobility  rates  for  some  of  the  same  occupa- 
tion groups  given  in  Table  31  are  shown  for  this  same  establishment  for  the  year 
as  a  whole. 


SEASONAL  INFLUENCE  ON  LABOR  MOBILITY  in 


accessions  and  separations  in  the  months  of  March,  April,  and 
May  are  not  only  greatest  in  relation  to  the  number  of  workers 
employed,  but  in  themselves  are  greater  in  this  three-month 
period  than  in  any  other  period  shown.  Here,  doubtless,  may 
be  seen  the  psychological  effect  which  spring  appears  to  have 

TABLE  32 

MONTHLY  TREND  IN  LABOR  MOBILITY 
(Based  on  monthly  data  for  all  years  from  1910-19  combined) 


NUMBER  OF 

TOTAL 

I 

.ABOR  CHANG* 

,s 

MONTH 

FULL-TIME 
WORKERS  * 

LABOR  HOURS 
(THOUSANDS) 

ACCESSIONS 

SEPARATIONS 

TOTAL  (FLUX) 

NUMBER 

January  .... 
February       .     .      . 
March     .... 
April  

465,554 
465,568 

473,943 
467,072 

116,388 
116,391 
118,485 
116,767 

53,992 
49,790 

53,523 
65,025 

44,363 
43,255 
53,209 
53,363 

98,355 
93,045 
106,732 
118,388 

May 

4.74.  2OO 

ii8,tj"?i 

6l,Q34 

1:8,873 

1  20  807 

468,126 

117,032 

54,039 

53,259 

107,298 

Tulv 

4.63  4.84. 

11^,870 

48,207 

47,482 

OS,  77Q 

August    .... 
September    . 
October   .... 
November     . 
December     .     .     . 

462,126 
469,831 
485,420 
481,858 
479,106 

H5,53o 
H7,458 
121,356 
120,464 
119,777 

47,889 
51,127 
47,966 

43,793 
38,241 

46,087 
44,971 
38,800 
35,474 
33,163 

93,976 
96,098 
86,776 
79,267 
71,404 

Year      .     .     . 

471,357 

1,414,069 

615,616 

552,299 

1,167,915 

RATE  PE 

R  FULL-TIME  ^ 

WORKER 

January  .... 
February       .     .     . 
March     .... 
April        .... 

•39 
.28 
.36 
•67 

I.I4 
1.  12 

1-35 
1.37 

2-53 
2.40 
2.71 
3.04 

May  

•57 

1.49 

3.06 

Tune  . 

•39 

1.37 

2.76 

July    . 

.25 

1.23 

2.48 

August    . 
September    . 
October   .     . 
November     . 
December     . 

•25 
•3i 
.19 
1.09 
.96 

1.  2O 

I.I5 
.96 

.88 
.83 

2.45 
2.46 
2.15 
1.97 
1.79 

Year      .     .      . 

i-3T 

1.17 

2.48 

n6,388,c 
1  The  figures  are  obtained  in  this  way:        3000 


112 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


SEASONAL  INFLUENCE  ON  LABOR  MOBILITY     113 

upon  the  workman,  that  is,  a  certain  restlessness  and  desire  for 
change  —  in  jobs,  places  of  abode,  etc.,  —  made  easier  because 
of  the  opening  up  of  industrial  outdoor  work  and  greater  activity       .7 
in  agriculture,  lumbering,  etc.  f  At  this  period,  too,  the  condi-     / 

TABLE  33 

EXTENT  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  THE  FOUR  SEASONS  OF  THE  YEAR1 
(Based  on  the  monthly  data  of  the  four  seasons  for  all  years  from  1910-19, 

combined) 


MONTH 

NUMBER  OF 
FULL- 
TIME 
WORKERS  2 

TOTAL 
LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

LABOR  CHANGES 

ACCESSIONS 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

TOTAL 
(FLUX) 

March,  April,  May     .     . 
June,  July,  August      .     . 
Sept.,  Oct.,  Nov.   .     .     . 
Dec.,  Jan.,  Feb.     .     .     . 

Total   

471,738 
464,579 
479,036 
470,076 

353,803 
348,432 
359,278 
352,556 

NUMBER 

180,482 
150,225 
142,886 
142,023 

165,445 
146,828 
119,245 
120,781 

345,927 
297,053 
262,131 
262,804 

471,357 

1,414,069 

615,616 

552,299 

1,167,915 

March,  April,  May 
June,  July,  August      .     . 
Sept.,  Oct.,  Nov.    .     .      . 
Dec.,  Jan.,  Feb.     .     .     . 

Total   

RATE  PER  FULL-TIME  WORKER 

1-53 
1.29 
1.19 

1.  21 

1.40 
1.26 
I.OO 

1.03 

2-93  \ 
2.55    \ 
2.19 
2.24 

I-3I 

1.17 

2.48 

tions  of  living  are  more  easily  met.  The  relatively  high  mobility 
rates  still  prevailing  during  the  summer  months  no  doubt  indicate 
the  influence  of  the  hot  weather  upon  the  industrial  stability  of 
the  employee.  In  the  fall  of  the  year  when  colder  weather  sets 
in  and  living  conditions  are  harder  to  meet,  there  is  a  noticeabje 
drop  in  the  labor  change  rate  as  a  whole.  It  is  especially  interest- 

1  Reprinted,  after  shifting  rates  to  full-year-worker  base,  from  report  on  labor 
mobility,  10  Mo.  Labor  Rev.  1356  (June,  1920). 

a  The  figures  are  obtained  in  this  way:  353,803,000 

3000 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


ing  to  note  that  the  proportion  of  accessions  as  compared  with 
the  proportion  of  separations  is  relatively  greater  during  the 
months  of  September,  October,  and  November,  indicating  a 
tendency  for  workers  to  flock  back  to  steadier  employment 
after  a  period  of  restlessness  and  moving  about.  There  is  also 
noticeable  a  very  slight  increase  in  the  mobility  rates  of  the 
winter  months  over  the  fall  period,  which  is  perhaps  indicative, 
on  the  one  hand,  of  a  more  intensive  application  of  the  country's 
productive  forces,  and  on  the  other,  of  changes  which  are  often 
made  by  individuals  at  the  end  of  the  old  and  the  beginning  of 
the  new  year. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  AS  A  FACTOR  IN  LABOR  MOBILITY 

IN  the  preceding  discussion  of  labor  mobility  one  very  impor- 
tant factor,  that  of  length  of  service,  has  been  only  briefly 
touched  upon  in  connection  with  an  analysis  of  accessions.1 
Monthly  and  yearly  figures  expressed  in  the  form  of  accession, 
separation,  and  flux  rates  are  valuable  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
the  general  extent  of  mobility  in  the  labor  force  as  a  whole  and 
its  trend  during  any  given  period  of  time.  Such  figures,  however, 
do  not  throw  much  light  on  the  degree  of  stability  within  the 
working  force,  in  so  far  as  it  relates  to  the  length  of  service  of  the 
active  as  well  as  the  separated  employees,  without  which  no 
correct  idea  can  be  formed  of  the  relative  extent  of  labor  mobility. 
It  is  evident  that  in  the  working  force  as  a  whole,  or  in  its  sex, 
occupation,  or  other  subdivisions,  the  turnover  is  not  equally 
distributed,  because  of  the  varying  frequency  with  which  the 
jobs  in  each  such  group  may  be  abandoned  by  the  job  holders. 
It  is  obvious  that  the  length  of  time  for  which  jobs  are  held  by 
individual  employees  who  leave  those  jobs,  is  a  highly  important 
factor  in  determining  the  incidence  of  labor  mobility  within  the 
establishment  work  force.  This  for  the  reason  that  the  shorter 
the  service  of  separated  employees,  the  more  frequent  the  job 
replacements  which  they  occasion,  and  the  higher  the  resulting 
establishment  labor  mobility  figures. 

Moreover,  from  the  standpoint  of,  an  individual  establishment 
eager  to  maintain  an  esprit  de  corps  in  the  plant,  and  for  that 
reason  bent  upon  minimizing  its  labor  changes,  the  length  of 
service  of  its  employees  becomes  an  all-important  factor.  In 

^ee  Table  12.  Further  applications  of  the  length  of  service  data  are  made 
in  Chapters  IX  and  X. 

"5 


n6  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

order  to  guarantee  that  team-work  which  is  essential  in  modern 
factory  production,  and  which  is  the  result  of  long  association 
of  the  same  groups  of  workmen,  effort  must  be  made  to  prevent 
employees  of  long  standing  from  leaving  the  employ  of  the  con- 
cern. The  retention  in  service  of  long-service  employees  is  espe- 
cially important  from  the  standpoint  of  the  cost  of  replacement, 
as  it  is  generally  agreed  that  as  the  length  of  service  of  the  em- 
ployee increases,  his  value  to  the  organization  is  also  enhanced. 
If,  however,  the  severance  of  connection  of  an  employee  becomes 
unavoidable,  it  is  of  importance  to  retain  —  assuming  that  he 
proves  to  be  desirable  —  the  newly  hired  employee  who  is  taken 
on  to  replace  the  one  who  has  left.  This  is  also  true  of  those 
employees  hired  to  enlarge  the  working  force.  It  is  quite  obvious 
that  there  must  be  a  heavy  expense  attached  to  the  constant 
breaking  in  of  new  employees.  This  expense  is  enormous,  even 
without  considering  the  cost  of  spoiled  work,  decreased  produc- 
tion, and  industrial  accidents  which  inevitably  follow  as  a  re- 
sult of  this  everlasting  shifting. 

The  experience  of  34  establishments  in  1913-14  and  53  in 
1917-18  which  furnished  comprehensive  figures  on  the  length  of 
service  of  their  active  employees  as  well  as  of  those  who  left  their 
employ,  is  summarized  in  Table  34,  on  page  117. 

If  we  consider  those  employees  having  to  their  credit  not  more 
than  one  year  of  service  as  short-service  employees,  it  will  be 
noticed  in  this  table  that  the  proportion  of  such  employees  in 
the  active  work  force  is  rather  extensive.  On  the  other  hand, 
considerable  proportions  among  the  active  employees  are  found 
to  have  long-service  records.  This  proportion  of  long-service 
employees  in  industrial  establishments  was  considerably  re- 
duced during  the  war  period,  slightly  over  71  per  cent  of  those 
on  the  pay  roll  in  1913-14  having  had  over  one  year's  continuous 
service,  while  in  1917-18  the  proportion  was  only  60  per  cent. 
There  are,  of  course,  wide  variations  in  the  extent  to  which 
individual  establishments  have  short-  and  long-service  employees 
in  the  active  working  force.  Space  limitations,  howeverj  make 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE 


117 


TABLE  34 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  DISTRIBUTION  OF  "ACTIVE  EMPLOYEES"  (THOSE  ON  PAY  ROLL 
AT  END  OF  YEAR)  AND  OF  EMPLOYEES  WHO  LEFT  DURING  THE  YEAR  ("SEPA- 
RATING EMPLOYEES")1 

[Number  of  establishments  reporting,  1913-14,  34;  1917-18,  53] 


NUMBER  IN  EACH  GROUP 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  GROUP 

ON  PAY  ROLL  AT  END  OF 

SEPARATED  FROM  SERVICE 

YEAR 

DURING  YEAR 

1913-14 

1917-18 

1913-14 

1917-18 

i  week  or  less  

_ 

1,615 

_ 

16,476 

Over  i  week  to  2  weeks    . 

— 

1,793 

— 

9,664 

Over  2  weeks  to  i  month 

— 

2,948 

— 

11,541 

Over  i  month  to  3  months    . 

— 

7,055 

— 

18,912 

JThree  months  or  less  .... 

",365 

13,411 

28,407 

56,593 

Over  3  months  to  6  months  .     . 

6,396 

6,019 

8,516 

11,770 

Over  6  months  to  i  year        .     . 

7,188 

9,018 

7,497 

9,813 

Over  i  year  to  2  years      .     .     . 

10,446 

10,458 

4,4iS 

6,645 

Over  2  years  to  3  years    .     .     . 

9,632 

6,627 

2.162 

2,476 

Over  3  years  to  5  years    .     .     . 

12,980 

6,320 

I,»4S 

2,780 

Over  5  years     

28,44.3 

10  Ql6 

I    7?6 

7   OI<? 

Total   

•**-',  T-TO 

xv/,y  xvs 

x  J  /  /  w 

O,wiO 

86,4  <co 

71,760 

cj4,6i8 

0-2,002 

wvy>'T  J^ 

/   ,  /  vv 

o^y 

VO,^7  * 

PER  CENT  IN  EACH  GROUP 

i  week  or  less  

2.3 

17.7 

Over  i  week  to  2  weeks   . 

— 

*o 

2.5 

— 

/  / 
10.4 

Over  2  weeks  to  i  month 

— 

4.1 

— 

12.4 

Over  i  month  to  3  months    . 
Three  months  or  less  .... 

I3.I 

9.8 
18.7 

52.0 

20.3 
60.8 

Over  3  months  to  6  months  .      . 

74 

8.4 

15-6 

12.6 

Over  6  months  to  i  year        .      . 

8-3 

12.6 

13-7 

10.5 

Over  i  year  to  2  years      .      .      . 

12.  1 

14.6 

8.1 

7.1 

Over  2  years  to  3  years    .     .      . 

II.  I 

9.2 

4.0 

2.7 

Over  3  years  to  5  years    .      .     . 

15-0 

8.8 

3-4 

3-o 

Over  5  years     

32.  Q 

27.8 

20 

3.2 

Total   

o    y 

/  »w 

o  o 

o 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

it  impossible  to  present  length  of  service  data  by  individual 
establishments. 

As  might  be  expected,  the  length-of-service  figures  of   the 
separated  employees  present  a  striking  contrast  to  those  shown 

1  Reprinted  from  report  on  labor  mobility,  loMo.  Labor  Rev.  1357  (June,  1920). 


n8 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


for  the  active  working  forces.  This  undoubtedly  reflects  the 
influence  of  unusual  industrial  activity  in  both  of  the  periods 
studied,  but  more  especially  the  effect  of  war-time  conditions 
upon  labor  mobility.  It  is  apparent  from  the  figures  of  Table  34 

TABLE 

LENGTH  or  SERVICE  OF  EMPLOYEES  ON  PAY  ROLL  AT  END  OF  YEAR  (" ACTIVE 

OF  WAR  AND  PRE-WAR  PERIODS, 
[1913-14:  34  establishments; 


PERCENTAGE  DISTRIBUTION  IN 

HAD  WORKED 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

NUMBER  OF 
ESTABLISH- 
MENTS 

NUMBER 
or 
WORKERS  l 

3  MONTHS 

OVER 
3  MONTHS 

OVER 
6  MONTHS 

OR  LESS 

TO 

TO 

6  MONTHS 

i  YEAR 

1913-14 

Automobiles  and  parts  mfg. 

4 

5,838 

26 

10 

5-8 

Chem.  indust's  and  refineries 

i 

1,234 

6 

13 

45 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

3 

6,052 

8 

4 

3 

Furniture  and  millwork 

— 

Leather  and  rubber  goods  . 

2 

4,093 

15 

9 

15 

Machinery  mfg  

5 

10,407 

19 

8 

10 

Mercantile  establishments   . 

2 

3,353 

25 

8 

9 

Miscellaneous  metal  products 
Printing  and  publishing 

9 

4 

17,966 
4,38o 

18 
13 

9 
5 

6 
4 

Public  utilities: 

Gas  and  electricity    . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Street  railways     .      .      . 

2 

7,6i3 

7 

6 

5 

Telephone  service      .     . 

2 

25,514 

6 

6 

9 

-**•*.    Total  

34 

86,450 

13 

8 

8 

1917-18 

Automobiles  and  parts  mfg. 

5 

8,515 

24 

13 

15 

Chem.  indust's  and  refineries 

3 

3,848 

36 

*3 

16 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg.     . 

3 

6,37i 

12 

10 

9 

Furniture  and  millwork 

i 

i,693 

22 

6 

16 

Leather  and  rubber  goods    . 

— 



— 

— 

Machinery  mfg  

13 

18,264 

20 

6 

ii 

Mercantile  establishments   . 

3 

i,45i 

22 

6 

15 

Miscellaneous  metal  products 

13 

6,160 

24 

8 

12 

Printing  and  publishing 

2 

940 

12 

6 

6 

Public  utilities: 

Gas  and  electricity    .     . 

I 

1,841 

18 

13 

15 

Street  railways     .      .      . 

I 

4,208 

22 

12 

ii 

Telephone  service      .     . 

8 

18,478 

II 

6 

13 

/     Total 

53 

71,769 

19 

8 

13 

">• 

These  figures  represent  the  aggregate  number  of  employees  on  pay  rolls  at  end  of  year. 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE 


119 


that,  in  the  period  1917-18,  out  of  a  total  of  93,092  separated 
employees,  over  41  per  cent  had,  on  severing  their  connections, 
served  periods  of  one  month  or  less,  33  per  cent  had  worked  from 
one  to  six  months,  about  n  per  cent  from  six  months  to  one  year, 

35  a 

EMPLOYEES")  WHO  HAD  SERVED  SPECIFIED  PERIODS  OF  TIME.     COMPARISON 
BY  INDUSTRY  GROUPS 
1917-18:  53  establishments] 


EACH  INDUSTRY  GROUP  OF  ACTIVE  EMPLOYEES  WHO 

CONTINUOUSLY:— 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

i  YEAR 

2  YEARS 

3  YEARS 

OVER 

*- 

TO 

TO 

TO 

S  YEARS 

TOTAL 

2  YEARS 

3  YEARS 

5  YEARS 

1913-14 

14 

9 

14 

21 

IOO 

Automobiles  and  parts  mfg. 

13 

5 

8 

10 

IOO 

Chern.  industries  and  refineries 

9 

ii 

14 

Si 

IOO 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

— 

— 

Furniture  and  millwork 

20 

14 

IO 

17 

IOO 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

7 

8 

16 

32 

IOO 

Machinery  mfg. 

14 

26 

8 

10 

IOO 

Mercantile  establishments 

8 

12 

IS 

32 

IOO 

Miscellaneous  metal  products 

14 

14 

18 

32 

IOO 

Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

— 



— 

— 

— 

Gas  and  electricity 

14 

12 

ii 

45 

IOO 

Street  railways 

15 

IO 

18 

36 

IOO 

Telephone  service 

12 

II 

IS 

33 

IOO 

Total 

• 

1917-18 

14 

9 

13 

12 

IOO 

Automobiles  and  parts  mfg. 

12 

5 

6 

12 

IOO 

Chem.  industries  and  refineries 

IS 

12 

13 

29 

IOO 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

II 

S 

S 

35 

IOO 

Furniture  and  millwork 



— 

— 

— 

Leather  and  rubber  goods; 

IS 

ii 

S 

32 

IOO 

Machinery  mfg. 

10 

;      S 

7 

35 

IOO 

Mercantile  establishments 

IS 
13 

IO 

7 

7 
7 

24 
49 

IOO 
IOO 

Miscellaneous  metal  products: 
Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

17 

ii 

7 

19 

IOO 

Gas  and  electricity 

12 

6 

5 

32 

IOO 

Street  railways 

16 

9 

12 

32 

IOO 

Telephone  service 

14 

9 

9 

28 

IOO 

Total 

120 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


and  a  total  of  84  per  cent  had  to  their  credit  continuous  service 
records  of  one  year  or  less.    Although  in  both  periods  there  had 
also  been  a  considerable  exodus  of  long-service  employees  — 
18.8  per  cent  of  all  separating  employees  in  1913-14  and  16  per 

TABLE 

LENGTH   OF   SERVICE  OF  EMPLOYEES    (SEPARATING  EMPLOYEES)   WHO  LEFT 

OF  WAR  AND  PRE-WAR  PERIODS, 
[1913-14:  34  establishments; 


PERCENTAGE  DISTRIBUTION  IN  EACH 

• 

HAD  WORKED 

XT 

TOTAL  NUM- 

INDUSTRY GROUP 

NUMBER  or 
ESTABLISH- 

BER OF  SEP- 
ARATING EM- 

OVER 

OVER 

MENTS 

PLOYEES 

3  MONTHS 

3  MONTHS 

6  MONTHS 

OR  LESS 

TO 

TO 

6  MONTHS 

i  YEAR 

1913-14 

Automobiles  and  parts  mfg. 

4 

8,354 

73 

9 

9 

Chem.  indust's  and  refineries 

I 

i,395 

73 

16 

5 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg.     . 

3 

3,097 

48 

12 

9 

Furniture  and  millwork 



Leather  and  rubber  goods    . 

2 

3,975 

47 

19 

19 

Machinery  mfg  

5 

6,075 

55 

14 

12 

Mercantile  establishments  . 

2 

i,778 

55 

12 

12 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 

9 

12,384 

5i 

16 

14 

Printing  and  publishing 

4 

2,760 

Si 

16 

15 

Public  utilities: 

Gas  and  electricity    . 

— 

— 

— 

— 



Street  railways     . 

2 

3,603 

38 

25 

18 

Telephone  service      .     . 

2 

11,197 

4i 

18 

18 

Total 

34. 

<?4  618 

Kt 

16 

14 

1917-18 

«3*r 

o^y 

0" 

Air 

Automobiles  and  parts  mfg. 

5 

13,282 

49 

17 

16 

Chem.  indust's  and  refineries 

3 

8,980 

80 

9 

6 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg.     . 

3 

8,587 

58 

ii 

ii 

Furniture  and  millwork 

i 

4.030 

70 

12 

8 

Leather  and  rubber  goods    . 

— 



— 

Machinery  mfg  

13 

18,197 

59 

13 

ii 

Mercantile  establishments  . 

3 

1,862 

63 

12 

10 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 

13 

15,226 

77 

9 

6 

Printing  and  publishing 

2 

930 

48 

IO 

10 

Public  utilities: 

Gas  and  electricity    .     . 

I 

1,040 

44 

15 

14 

Street  railways     .     .     . 

I 

3,728 

53 

17 

13 

Telephone  service     .     . 

8 

17,230 

50 

14 

12 

Total   

53 

93,092 

61 

13 

IO 

LENGTH  OF  SERVICE 


121 


cent  in  1917-18  being  employees  with  service  records  of  over  one 
year  —  a  census  of  the  active  employees  taken  at  the  end  of  the 
period  shows,  nevertheless,  large  proportions  of  employees  of 
long  tenure;  figures  for  1913-14  show  38.2  per  cent  with  con- 


35  b 

DURING  YEAR  WHO  HAD  SERVED  SPECIFIED  PERIODS  or  TIME. 

BY  INDUSTRY  GROUPS 

1917-18:  53  establishments] 


COMPARISON 


INDUSTRY  GROUP  or  SEPARATING  EMPLOYEES  WHO 

CONTINUOUSLY:— 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

INDUSTRIAL  GROUP 

i  YEAR 

a  YEARS 

3  YEARS 

OVER 

TOTAL 

TO 

TO 

TO 

5  YEARS 

2  YEARS 

3  YEARS 

5  YEARS 

1913-14 

5 

2 

I 

I 

IOO 

Automobiles  and  parts  mfg. 

3 

I 

I 

I 

IOO 

Chem.  industries  and  refineries 

9 

5 

7 

IO 

IOO 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

— 

— 

— 

Furniture  and  millwork 

7 

3 

3 

2 

IOO 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

6 

5 

4 

4 

IOO 

Machinery  mfg. 

13 

4 

2 

2 

IOO 

Mercantile  establishments 

9 
9 

4 
4 

4 
4 

2 

I 

IOO 
IOO 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

— 

— 

— 



— 

Gas  and  electricity 

10 

3 

2 

4 

IOO 

Street  railways 

10 

5 

4 

4 

IOO 

Telephone  service 

8 

4 

3 

3 

IOO 

Total 

1917-18 

7 

5 

4 

2 

IOO 

Automobiles  and  parts  mfg. 

2 

i 

i 

I 

IOO 

Chem.  industries  and  refineries 

9 

3 

5 

3 

IOO 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

4 

i 

i 

4 

IOO 

Furniture  and  millwork 

— 

— 

— 

Leather  and  rubber  goods 

10 
5 

2 
2 

2 

3 

3 

S 

IOO 
IOO 

Machinery  mfg. 
Mercantile  establishments 

4 

I 

i 

2 

IOO 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 

10 

6 

6 

II 

IOO 

Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

12 

5 

S 

5 

IOO 

Gas  and  electricity 

7 

2 

3 

S 

IOO 

Street  railways 

9 

3 

6 

6 

IOO 

Telephone  service 

7 

3 

3 

3 

IOO 

Total 

122  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

tinuous  service  records  from  one  to  five  years,  and  32.9  per  cent 
with  service  records  of  over  five  years,  and  figures  for  1917-18 
show  32.9  per  cent  of  all  active  employees  with  service  records 
of  over  one  to  five  years  and  27.8  per  cent  with  continuous 
service  records  of  over  five  years. 

A  count  of  the  actual  length  of  service  of  439  separated  em- 
ployees in  two  establishments  in  the  one-week-or-less  group 
showed  the  number  of  employees  having  had  specified  days  of 
service  to  be  as  follows:  Less  than  one  day  of  service,  21 
employees;  one  day,  94  employees;  2  days,  57  employees;  6 
days,  in  employees.  This  shows  that  over  25  per  cent  worked 
one  day  or  less,  about  80  per  cent  worked  from  two  to  five  days, 
and  only  a  little  over  25  per  cent  worked  a  full  week. 

The  results  of  a  separate  study  of  the  relative  proportions  of 
active  and  separated  employees  who  had  served  specified  periods 
of  time  are  shown  by  industry  groups  in  Tables  35  a  and  35  b. 

In  both  periods  rather  marked  variations  may  be  observed  in 
the  relative  proportions,  in  the  different  industry  groups,  of  those 
in  service  at  the  end  of  the  year  and  those  separated  during  the 
year.  The  extent  to  which  any  industry  group  has  long-service 
employees  in  the  active  work  force  will  depend,  of  course,  on 
the  seasonal  character  of  the  industry,  whether  the  work  force 
has  recently  been  extended,  whether  the  plant  has  reduced  its 
force  by  lay-off  of  those  most  recently  hired,  or  on  all  of  these 
factors  combined.  In  the  first  two  cases  there  will  very  probably 
be  found  a  relatively  smaller  proportion  of  long-service  em- 
ployees, while  in  the  last  case  the  number  of  employees  of  long 
tenure  will  be  relatively  larger.  In  the  case  of  the  active  em- 
ployees, the  influx  of  new  workers  during  the  war  period  due  to 
enlarged  industrial  activities  may  be  seen  in  the  proportion  of 
those  having  short-service  records  in  1917-18  as  compared  with 
1913-14.  In  both  periods  employees  of  long  tenure  are  found  to 
a  greater  or  less  extent  in  all  industry  groups  shown,  the  propor- 
tion of  employees  with  over  5  years'  service  being  in  some  cases 
almost  one-half  the  total  active  working  force.  However,  the 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  123 

enormous  shifting  of  workers  which  took  place  during  the  war 
period,  especially  in  war  industries,  is  strikingly  illustrated  by 
the  figures  for  separated  employees.  It  will  be  observed  that 
some  industry  groups  show  as  high  a  proportion  as  80  per  cent 
of  all  the  separated  employees  to  have  worked  three  months  or 
less.  The  proportion  of  separated  employees  who  had  served 
one  week  or  less  appears  to  have  been  in  some  industry  groups  as 
high  as  from  60  to  80  per  cent.  A  considerable  number  of  long- 
service  employees  were  lost  to  the  different  establishments  during 
the  war  period,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  rather  large  proportions 
of  long-time  employees  who  left  the  service  in  some  industry 
groups. 

COMPARATIVE   SERVICE   STABILITY   OF  MALES   AND   FEMALES 

The  figures  shown  in 'Tables  36,  37  and  38  are  the  result  of  a 
special  study  of  the  relative  importance  of  the  length  of  service 
as  a  factor  in  labor  mobility  in  industrial  establishments  as 
between  males  and  females.  Table  36  summarizes  for  the  war 
period  the  experience  of  28  establishments  in  that  regard.  The 
figures  of  this  table  are  presented  graphically  in  Chart  H  on 
page  125.  Table  36  shows  the  proportions  of  the  males  and  females 
in  the  working  force  to  be  about  equally  divided  in  the  lower 
length  of  service  groups,  the  females  having  higher  proportions 
in  the  service  groups  between  six  months  and  five  years,  but 
showing  a  much  greater  proportion  of  males  in  the  over-five- 
years  group.  A  comparison  of  the  length  of  service  of  the 
separated  male  and  female  employees  shows  that  larger  propor- 
tions of  separating  male  employees  than  females  are  bunched 
in  the  short-service  periods.  Thus,  63  per  cent  of  the  total 
number  of  separating  males  as  against  50  per  cent  of  the  females 
had  served  less  than  three  months.  In  the  groups  over-six- 
months-to-a-year  the  proportions  are  about  equally  divided. 
In  the  long-time-service  groups  of  separated  employees  the 
figures  for  males  show  that  they  are  less  prone  to  sever  connec- 
tions with  an  establishment  after  having  worked  in  it  a  consider- 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


able  period  of  time.  Of  all  the  separating  females  whose  service 
records  were  reported,  18.7  per  cent  had  served  over  one  to 
five  years,  whereas  only  11.3  per  cent  of  all  the  separating  males 

TABLE  36 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  DISTRIBUTION  OF  "ACTIVE  EMPLOYEES"  (I.E.,  THOSE  ON 

PAY  ROLL  AT  END  OF  YEAR)  AND  OF  EMPLOYEES  WHO  LEFT  DURING  THE  YEAR 

("SEPARATING  EMPLOYEES"),  CLASSIFIED  ACCORDING  TO  SEX,  1917-18. 


LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  PERIOD 

EMPLOYEES  ON  PAY  ROLL  AT 
END  OF  YEAR  (ACTIVE  EM- 
PLOYEES) WHO  HAD 
WORKED  SPECIFIED  PERIOD 

SEPARATED  EMPLOYEES 
WHO  HAD  WORKED 
SPECIFIED  PERIOD 

MALE 

FEMALE 

MALE 

FEMALE 

i  week  or  less 

NUMBER 

78l 
886 
1,446 

3,247 
2,506 

3,554 
4,411 

2,654 
2,037 
",853 

328 
370 
54i 
1,633 
1,386 
2,508 
2,831 
i,583 
1,969 

3,654 

7,654 
4,236 
5,508 
8,839 
5,225 
4,042 
2,991 
755 
963 
i,473 

2,180 
1,077 

1,174 
2,686 
1,884 
1,824 
1,313 
544 
832 
857 

Over  i  week  to  2  weeks   .     .     . 
Over  2  weeks  to  i  month      .     . 
Over  i  month  to  3  months    .     . 
Over  3  months  to  6  months  .     . 
Over  6  months  to  i  year       .     . 
Over  i  year  to  2  years      .     .     . 
Over  2  years  to  3  years    .     .     . 
Over  3  years  to  5  years    .     .     . 
Over  5  years     

Total   

33,375 

16,803 

41,686 

I4,37i 

i  week  or  less 

PER  CENT 

2-3 

2.7 
4-3 
9-7 
7-5 
10.6 
13-2 
8.0 
6.1 
35-5 

2.0 
2.2 
3-2 
9-7 
8.2 
15.0 

16.8 

9-4 
11.7 
21.7 

18.4 

10.2 

13.2 

21.2 
12-5 

9-7 
7.2 
1.8 
2-3 
3-6 

15.2 
7-5 

8.2 

18.7 

13-1 
12.7 
9.1 
3-8 
5-8 
6.0 

Over  i  week  to  2  weeks   . 
Over  2  weeks  to  i  month      .     . 
Over  i  month  to  3  months    .     . 
Over  3  months  to  6  months  .     . 
Over  6  months  to  i  year       .     . 
Over  i  year  to  2  years     .     .     . 
Over  2  years  to  3  years    .     .     . 
Over  3  years  to  5  years    .     .      . 
Over  5  years     

Total   

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

had  served  over  one  to  five  years.  Finally,  of  the  employees 
leaving  after  having  served  continuously  more  than  five  years 
3.6  per  cent  were  males  and  6.0  per  cent  were  females. 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE 


125 


126 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE  37 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  DISTRIBUTION  OF  "ACTIVE  EMPLOYEES"  (I.E.,  THOSE  ON 
PAY  ROLL  AT  END  OF  YEAR)  CLASSIFIED  ACCORDING  TO  SEX,  1913-14  AND 

1917-18 
(Number  of  establishments  reporting,  1913-14,  30;  1917-18,  28) 


LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  PERIOD 

EMPLOYEES  ON  PAY  ROLL  AT  END  OF  YEAR  (ACTTVE  EM- 
PLOYEES) WHO  HAD  WORKED  CONTINUOUSLY 
SPECIFIED  PERIODS  OF  TIME  — 

MALE 

FEMALE 

1913-14 

1917-18 

1913-14 

1917-18 

NUMBER 

i  week  or  less 

8,994 
6,738 
6,636 
10,245 
8,996 
12,584 
27,316  l 

781 

886 
1,446 
3,247 
6,360 
2,506 

3,554 
4,411 
2,654 
2,037 
",853 

2,865 
1,867 
2,635 
4,722 
3,641 
4,694 

6,454  1 

328 
370 
541 
1,633 
2,872 
1,386 
2,508 
2,831 

1,583 
1,969 

3,654 

Over  i  week  to  2  weeks    .     .     . 
Over  2  weeks  to  i  month      .     . 
Over  i  month  to  3  months    .     . 
Three  months  or  less  .... 
Over  3  months  to  6  months  .      . 
Over  6  months  to  i  year       .     . 
Over  i  year  to  2  years 
Over  2  years  to  3  years    . 
Over  3  years  to  5  years    . 
Over  5  years     

Total   

81,509 

33,375 

26,878 

16,803 

PER  CENT  IN  EACH  GROUP 

i  week  or  less  
Over  i  week  to  2  weeks   .     . 
Over  2  weeks  to  i  month 
Over  i  month  to  3  months    .      . 
Three  months  or  less  .... 
Over  3  months  to  6  months  . 
Over  6  months  to  i  year 
Over  i  year  to  2  years 
Over  2  years  to  3  years    .     .     . 
Over  3  years  to  5  years    . 
Over  5  years     .... 

II.O 

8-3 

8.2 
12.6 
II.O 

15.4 

33-5  l 

2.3 
2.7 

4-3 
9-7 
19.0 

7-5 
10.6 
13.2 
8.0 
6.1 
35-5 

10.7 
6.9 
9.8 
17.6 
13-5 
17.5 
24.0  1 

2.O 
2.2 
3-2 

9-7 
17.1 

8.2 

15.0 

16.8 
9-4 
11.7 
21.7 

Total    

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

Distributed  as  follows: 


LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  PERIOD 

MALE 

FEMALE 

Over  5  to  7  years    

6,886 
8,265* 
6,974 
2,388 
2,803 

8.4 

IO.I 

8.6 
2.9 
3-4 

1,913 
2,030* 
1,361 
SGI 
649 

7-1 
7.6 
5-i 
1.9 
2.4 

Over    7  to  10  years 

Over  10  to  15  years      

Over  1  5  to  20  years      .     . 

Total 

27,316 

33-5 

6,454 

24.0 

*  Includes  i  establishment  with  328  males  reported  as  having  served  "over  5  to  10  years." 
b  Includes  i  establishment  with  655  females  reported  as  having  served  "over  5  to  10  years." 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  127 

The  influence  of  the  war  period  upon  the  length  of  service  of 
males  and  females  is  brought  out  in  Table  37.  The  figures  are 
based  upon  the  identical  length  of  service  distribution  of  the 
males  and  females  in  the  active  working  forces  of  30  establish- 
ments in  1914,  and  28  establishments  in  1918.  It  is  evident  that 
the  proportion  of  short-service  employees,  both  for  males  and 
females,  is  considerably  greater  in  the  war  than  in  the  pre-war 
period.  In  1913-14  it  appears  that  27.5  per  cent  of  the  males 
and  27.4  per  cent  of  the  females  of  the  active  work  force  had 
service  records  of  one  year  or  less;  the  corresponding  figures  for 
the  war  period  are  37.2  and  40.4  per  cent,  for  males  and  females, 
respectively.  The  proportion  of  long-service  employees  in  the 
active  working  force  —  and  this  applies  to  both  males  and 
females  —  decreased  during  the  war  period,  as  may  be  seen  from 
the  records  of  the  number  who  had  over  one  year's  continuous 
service.  In  1913-14  the  figures  show  that  72.5  per  cent  of  the 
males  and  72.6  per  cent  of  the  females  were  in  service  for  over 
one  year.  In  1917-18  the  proportion  of  the  males  who  served 
more  than  one  year  decreased  to  62.8  per  cent  and  the  corre- 
sponding proportion  of  the  females  to  59.6  per  cent. 

The  summarized  figures  of  the  length-of -service  distribution  of 
28  establishments  in  1917-18  classified  by  sex  as  shown  in  Table 
36  are  given  in  greater  detail  in  Tables  38  a  and  38  b  which  show, 
by  industry  groups,  the  length  of  service  of  active  and  separated 
male  and  female  employees. 

The  figures  presented  in  these  tables  show  pronounced  varia- 
tions in  the  different  industry  groups  in  the  proportion  of  male  and 
female  employees  who  had  served  given  periods  of  time.  This 
irregularity  is  apparent  among  both  active  and  separating  em- 
ployees. It  will  be  noted,  however,  that,  in  many  cases,  there  are, 
within  the  same  industry  group,  only  slight  differences  in  the 
proportions  of  males  and  females  having  identical  length  of  service. 
Yet  in  certain  service  groups  there  are  evident  rather  wide  differ- 
ences. Such  discrepancies  are  noticeable  in  the  over-five-years 
group,  where  male  workers  appear  in  much  the  larger  proportions. 


128 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  DISTRIBUTION  OF  EMPLOYEES  ON  THE  PAY  ROLL 

[1917-18:  28 


PER  CENT  DISTRIBUTION  OF 

NUMBER 

OF 

NUMBER 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

ESTAB- 

OF 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

LISH- 

WORKERS l 

WEEK 

i  WEEK 

2  WEEKS 

i  MONTH 

MENTS 

TO 

TO 

TO 

OR  LESS 

2  WEEKS 

i  MONTH 

3  MONTHS 

Males 

Automobiles  and  parts  mfg.  . 

I 

1,681 

2 

4 

9 

*7 

Chem.  indust's  and  refineries 

2 

2,995 

6 

4 

8 

J7 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

2 

341 

2 

4 

6 

4 

Furniture  and  millwork    .     . 

I 

1,607 

3 

3 

6 

9 

Machinery  mfg 

I  A.ZI 

2 

Mercantile  establishments     . 

4 

•*->4o  * 
13,100 

3 

5 

4 

9 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg.  . 

3 

I,ISO 

3 

3 

4 

10 

Printing  and  publishing   . 

2 

436 

3 

2 

4 

7 

Public  utilities: 

Gas  and  electricity 

I 

i,5S7 

2 

2 

3 

8 

Street  railways 

I 

3,7i8 

I 

2 

4 

ii 

Telephone  service 

6 

5,339 

I 

I 

2 

5 

Total     

28 

1-1  ,77<J 

2 

•7 

4" 

10 

Females 

OO,O  /  0 

o 

Automobiles  and  parts  mfg.  . 

i 

212 



7 

14 

21 

Chem.  indust's  and  refineries 

2 

445 

4 

5 

9 

2O 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

2 

481 

5 

7 

7 

IO 

Furniture  and  millwork    .     . 

I 

86 

14 

8 

19 

23 

Machinery  mfg  

s 

3" 

9 

ii 

23 

Mercantile  establishments     . 

4 

313 

i 

2 

4 

20 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg.  . 

3 

1,278 

8 

10 

15 

II 

Printing  and  publishing   .     . 

2 

504 

2 

I 

2 

5 

Public  utilities: 

Gas  and  electricity      .     . 

I 

284 

5 

4 

5 

17 

Street  railways      .     .     . 

I 

490 

3 

6 

10 

19 

Telephone  service       .     . 

6 

12,399 

2 

i 

2 

8 

Total     

28 

16,803 

2 

2 

3 

IO 

JThe  figures  in  this  column  refer  to  the 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE 


129 


38  a 

AT  THE  END  OF  YEAR  ("ACTIVE"  EMPLOYEES),  BY  SEX  AND  INDUSTRY  GROUPS 
establishments] 


"ACTIVE"  EMPLOYEES  WHO  HAD  SERVED  CONTINUOUSLY: 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

3  MONTHS 

6  MONTHS 

i  YEAR 

2  YEARS 

3  YEARS 

OVER 

Tr*T  A  T 

TO 

TO 

TO 

TO 

TO 

5  YEARS 

i  UTAL 

6  MONTHS 

i  YEAR 

2  YEARS 

3  YEARS 

5  YEARS 

Males 

14 
13 

9 
16 

IS 
12 

6 

5 

14 
6 

II 

12 

IOO 
IOO 

Automobiles  and  parts,  mfg. 
Chem.  indus's  and  refhiYs 

4 

5 

9 

6 

8 

52 

IOO 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

5 

IS 

12 

5 

5 

37 

IOO 

Furniture  and  millwork 

5 

9 

IS 

ii 

4 

39 

IOO 

Machinery  mfg. 

7 

12 

IO 

4 

7 

37 

IOO 

Mercantile  establishments 

7 

IS 

IS 

9 

8 

25 

IOO 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 

5 

7 

9 

4 

4 

56 

IOO 

Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

14 

IS 

17 

ii 

7 

20 

IOO 

Gas  and  electricity 

12 

ii 

12 

6 

S 

35 

IOO 

Street  railways 

4 

8 

10 

7 

IO 

53 

IOO 

Telephone  service 

8 

ii 

13 

8 

6 

36 

IOO 

Total 

Females 

20 
20 

17 
16 

21 
12 

5 

5 

4 

IOO 
IOO 

Automobiles  and  parts,  mfg. 
Chem.  indust's  and  refiner's 

7 

8 

9 

10 

12 

25 

IOO 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

10 

IS 

5 

3 

I 

i 

IOO 

Furniture  and  millwork 

12 

10 

13 

9 

S 

9 

IOO 

Machinery  mfg. 

II 

iQ 

13 

6 

9 

14 

IOO 

Mercantile  establishments 

IS 

II 

9 

8 

5 

8 

IOO 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 

7 

6 

IS 

IO 

9 

43 

IOO 

Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

ii 

18 

17 

7 

6 

IO 

IOO 

Gas  and  electricity 

15 

12 

12 

5 

4 

14 

IOO 

Street  railways 

7 

IS 

18 

IO 

13 

24 

IOO 

Telephone  service 

8 

IS 

17 

9 

12 

22 

IOO 

Total 

aggregate  number  on  pay-rolls  at  end  of  year. 


130 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  DISTRIBUTION  OF  EMPLOYEES  WHO  LEFT  DURING 

[1917-18: 


TOTAL 

PER  CENT  DISTRIBUTION  OF 

NUMBER 

NUMBER 

OF 

OF 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

ESTAB- 

"SEPA- 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

LISH- 

RATED" 

i 
WEEK 

i  WEEK 

2  WEEKS 

i  MONTH 

MENTS 

EM- 

TO 

TO 

TO 

PLYEES"1 

OR  LESS 

2  WEEKS 

i  MONTH 

3  MONTHS 

Males 

Automobiles  and  parts,  mfg.  . 

I 

2,383 

23 

II 

14 

22 

Chem.  indust's  and  refineries 

2 

7,253 

30 

13 

16 

22 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

2 

444 

II 

9 

17 

17 

Furniture  and  millwork    . 

I 

3,763 

22 

10 

14 

23 

Machinery  mfg  

5 

3,472 

15 

9 

10 

19 

Mercantile  establishments     . 

4 

io,75S 

19 

9 

12 

22 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg.  . 

3 

1,886 

22 

18 

14 

19 

Printing  and  publishing   .      . 

2 

459 

20 

5 

13 

13 

Public  utilities: 

Gas  and  electricity      .     . 

I 

834 

5 

3 

14 

23 

Street  railways      .     .     . 

I 

3,430 

7 

7 

13 

25 

Telephone  service       .     . 

6 

7,007 

13 

8 

14 

23 

Total     

28 

41,686 

18 

10 

13 

21 

Females 

- 

Automobiles  and  parts,  mfg.  . 

i 

151 

30 

7 

13 

23 

Chem.  indust's  and  refineries 

2 

747 

22 

ii 

10 

25 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

2 

903 

16 

13 

13 

19 

Furniture  and  millwork    .      . 

I 

267 

23 

8 

18 

27 

Machinery  mfg  

5 

370 

31 

10 

10 

16 

Mercantile  establishments 

4 

334 

10 

10 

19 

26 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg.  . 

3 

1,544 

22 

10 

IO 

29 

Printing  and  publishing    . 

2 

47i 

16 

4 

IO 

15 

Public  utilities: 

Gas  and  electricity 

I 

206 

6 

3 

9 

21 

Street  railways 

I 

298 

14 

9 

13 

21 

Telephone  service 

6 

9,080 

14 

6 

5 

16 

Total    

28 

I4,37i 

15 

7 

8 

19 

1  The  figures  in  this  column  refer  to  the  aggregate  number  in  each 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE 


38  b 

THE  YEAR  ("SEPARATING  EMPLOYEES")  BY  SEX  AND  INDUSTRY  GROUP 
28  establishments] 


"SEPARATING"  EMPLOYEES  WHO  HAD  SERVED  CONTINUOUSLY:— 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

3  MONTHS 

6  MONTHS 

i  YEAR 

2  YEARS 

3  YEARS 

OVER 

TOTAL 

TO 

TO 

TO 

TO 

TO 

5  YEARS 

6  MONTHS 

i  YEAR 

2  YEARS 

3  YEARS 

5  YEARS 

Males 

12 

9 

9 
6 

4 

2 

2 

00 

4 

I 

I 

IOO 

IOO 

Automobiles  and  parts,  mfg. 
Chem.  indust's  and  refiner's 

14 

8 

6 

6 

3 

9 

IOO 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

12 

8 

4 

i 

i 

4 

IOO 

Furniture  and  millwork 

13 

12 

T3 

2 

2 

5 

IOO 

Machinery  mfg. 

12 

IO 

6 

2 

3 

4 

IOO 

Mercantile  establishments 

13 

8 

4 

I 

i 

i 

IOO 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 

IO 

IO 

6 

5 

7 

12 

IOO 

Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

13 

IS 

12 

5 

5 

S 

IOO 

Gas  and  electricity 

17 

13 

8 

2 

3 

5 

IOO 

Street  railways 

15 

10 

7 

2 

4 

4 

IOO 

Telephone  service 

13 

IO 

7 

2 

2 

4 

IOO 

Total 

Females 

15 

I? 

10 

8 

i 
3 

I 

2 

i 

IOO 
IOO 

Automobiles  and  parts,  mfg. 
Chem.  indust's  and  refiner's 

IO 

14 

5 

4 

3 

2 

IOO 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

16 

7 

i 

— 

IOO 

Furniture  and  millwork 

9 

7 

14 

i 

I 



IOO 

Machinery  mfg. 

13 

ii 

5 

2 

3 

3 

IOO 

Mercantile  establishments 

14 

5 

6 

2 

i 

i 

IOO 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 

10 

IO 

12 

7 

5 

ii 

IOO 

Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

22 

12 

12 

4 

6 

5 

IOO 

Gas  and  electricity 

16 

II 

4 

2 

3 

6 

IOO 

Street  railways 

13 

14 

II 

4 

8 

8 

IOO 

Telephone  service 

13 

13 

9 

4 

6 

6 

IOO 

Total 

group  who  left  during  the  year. 


a  Less  than  0.5  per  cent. 


132 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  OF  SKILLED  AND  UNSKILLED 

The  relation  between  the  degree  of  skill  and  the  length  of 
service  of  both  active  and  separated  employees  was  made  the 
subject  of  a  special  inquiry  reporting  the  experience  of  17  estab- 
lishments covering  the  years  1913,  1914  and  1915.  The  results 
are  shown  in  Table  39. 

TABLE  39 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  DISTRIBUTION  OF  "ACTIVE  EMPLOYEES"   (I.E.,  THOSE  ON 

PAY  ROLL  AT  END  OF  YEAR)  AND  OF  EMPLOYEES  WHO  LEFT  DURING  THE  YEAR 

("SEPARATED  EMPLOYEES"),  CLASSIFIED  ACCORDING  TO  SKILL,  1913-1915 


LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  GROUP 

EMPLOYEES  ON  PAY  ROLL  AT 
END  OF  YEAR  (ACTIVE  EM- 
PLOYEES) WHO  HAD 
WORKED  CONTINUOUSLY 
SPECIFIED  PERIODS 

SEPARATED  EMPLOYEES 
WHO  HAD  SERVED  CON- 
TINUOUSLY FOR  SPECIFIED 
PERIODS 

3  months  or  less    .     .     .     .     . 

SKILLED 

UNSKILLED 

SKILLED 

UNSKILLED 

NUMBER 

2,169 
1,449 
1,523 
2,921 
2,286 
3,oii 
6,675 

4,442 
2,102 
i,5i8 
2,265 

2,297 
2,560 

3,015 

7,072 
2,218 
1,869 
932 
640 
412 
536 

",I4S 

2,875 
2,065 

1,211 

545 
400 
308 

Over  3  to  6  months     .... 
Over  6  months  to  i  year       .     . 
Over  i  to  2  years             ... 

Over  2  to  3  years        .... 

Over  3  to  5  years  

Over  5  years     

Total  

20,034 

18,199 

13,679 

18,549 

3  months  or  less         .... 

PER  CENT  DISTRIBUTION 

10.8 
7.2 
7-6 
14.6 
11.4 
15.0 
33-3 

24.4 
n.6 
8.3 

12.4 

12.6 

14.1 
16.6 

51-7 
16.3 
13-7 
6.8 

4-7 
3-o 
3-9 

60.  i 

15-5 
11.  i 

6-5 
2.9 

2.2 
1-7 

Over  3  to  6  months     .... 
Over  6  months  to  i  year       .     . 
Over  i  to  2  years  

Over  2  to  3  years  

Over  3  to  5  years  

Over  5  years    

Total   

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

The  figures  indicate  that  only  about  one- tenth  of  the  skilled 
employees  on  the  pay  roll,  but  nearly  one-fourth  of  the  unskilled, 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  133 

had  served  as  short  a  time  as  three  months  or  less.  The  pro- 
portions of  the  skilled  and  unskilled  active  employees  who  had 
served  from  one  to  five  years  are  about  the  same;  in  the  over- 
five-years  service  group  of  active  employees  there  is  a  consider- 
able difference,  however,  the  proportion  of  skilled  in  that  group 
being  33.3  per  cent,  whereas  the  proportion  of  unskilled  is  only 
1 6. 6  per  cent.  Among  the  separated  employees  it  is  only  in  the 
long  service  groups  that  there  is  any  decided  difference  in  the 
relative  proportions  of  skilled  and  unskilled  employees,  the 
unskilled  separating  employees  showing  a  slightly  higher  per- 
centage in  the  length-of-service  groups  of  one  year  or  less,  the 
figures  being  81.7  per  cent  for  skilled  and  86.7  per  cent  for  un- 
skilled. In  the  over-one-to-five-year  groups  the  proportion  of 
separated  skilled  employees  is  14.5  per  cent,  and  that  of  the 
unskilled  n.6  per  cent;  in  the  over-five-years  group  the  skilled 
represented  3.9  per  cent  and  the  unskilled  1.7  per  cent  of  the 
total  separations.1 

In  the  discussion  of  the  relative  mobility  of  the  skilled  and 
unskilled  workers,  attention  has  been  directed  to  the  fact  that 
there  was  more  frequent  shifting  among  the  unskilled  workers 
generally,  as  compared  with  the  skilled,  and  that  this  shifting  of 
the  unskilled  has  taken  on  enormous  proportions  during  later 
years.2  The  mobility  records  of  individual  workmen  are  of  no 
little  interest  in  this  connection.  In  1914,  Mr.  P.  A.  Speek,  an 
investigator  for  the  Commission  on  Industrial  Relations,  made 
a  very  thorough  and  painstaking  first-hand  study  of  the  unskilled 
migratory  worker.  In  his  report  to  the  Commission,  Mr.  Speek 
includes  as  an  appendix  the  "copies  of  record  cards  of  7  typical 
floating  laborers  applying  at  the  State  Free  Employment  Office, 
Milwaukee,  Wisconsin  (in  the  period  1911-1913),  showing  the 
number  and  nature  of  jobs  during  certain  periods  of  time." 
These  records  show  in  chronological  order  the  nature  of  the 
various  jobs  held,  with  the  dates  on  which  the  laborers  were  sent 
to  those  jobs.  A  summary  of  the  records  follows: 

1  See  also  Tables  19,  24,  and  49.  2  See  Table  19. 


134  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

1.  Patrick  J.  Flynn,  87  jobs  during  23  months  and  6  days,  or  one  job  in 

every  8  days. 

2.  Jos.  Stein,  7  jobs  during  5  months  and  4  days,  or  one  job  in  every 

22  days. 

3.  Frank  O'Neill,  16  jobs  during  7  months  and  10  days,  or  one  job  in  every 

14  days. 

4.  Matt  Brewer,  20  jobs  during  10  months  and  19  days,  or  one  job  in 

every  16  days. 

5.  Chas.  Sommer,  72  jobs  during  10  months  and  19  days,  or  one  job  in 

every  4^  days. 

6.  Fred  Miller,  59  jobs  during  6  months  and  8  days,  or  one  job  in  every 

3i  days. 

7.  William  Thompson,  34  jobs  during  12  months  and  14  days,  or  one  job 

in  every  n  days.1 

A  very  interesting  side-light  upon  the  shifting  of  common 
laborers  during  the  war  period  and  the  duration  of  their  employ- 
ment on  different  jobs  is  furnished  by  the  record  of  one  of  the 
large  printing  establishments  in  the  Middle  West  shown  in 
Table  40,  on  page  135. 

For  a  period  of  three  months  this  firm  kept  a  record  of  the 
length  of  service  of  unskilled  male  laborers  who  left  their  employ. 
Besides  recording  the  length  of  time  jobs  have  been  held,  the  age, 
wage  rate  received,  and  finally,  the  reason  for  leaving  of  each 
individual  worker,  are  also  given.  The  period  under  considera- 
tion marks  one  of  enormous  expansion  in  industrial  activity,  and 
the  competition  for  labor,  especially  for  common  labor,  was 
exceedingly  keen  during  the  period  under  observation.  The 
influence  of  these  factors  upon  the  situation  is  very  clearly  re- 
flected in  the  data  shown  in  this  table.  Of  the  78  individual 
laborers  listed  37  worked  less  than  a  week,  n  worked  a  full  week, 
10  worked  between  10  days  and  3  weeks,  and  only  20  worked 
more  than  a  month  before  they  quit.  It  does  not  appear  that 
either  the  age  or  wage  rate  influenced  stability  to  any  appreciable 
extent  one  way  or  another.  Men  of  all  age  groups  and  of  both 

1  P.  A.  Speek,  "Report  on  Floating  Laborers"  (Typewritten  manuscript  report 
to  the  Commission),  Appendix  ii,  pp.  84-91. 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE 


135 


TABLE  40 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  RECORDS  OF  78  UNSKILLED  MALE  LABORERS  HIRED  ON  OR 

SINCE  JULY  I,  1918,  BUT  NOT  ON  PAY  ROLL  OCTOBER,  IQl8,  IN  A  PRINTING 

CONCERN.    (ESTABLISHMENT  No.  151.) 


EMPLOYEE 
NUMBER 

AGE 

RATE  PER 
HOUR 

How  LONG 
EMPLOYED 

REASON  FOR  LEAVING 

I 

23 

•30 

Two  Hours 

^Failed  to  report. 

2 

20 

•25 

Half  a  Day 

>xNo  reason.-" 

3 

21 

•30 

One  Day 

•"No  reason;- 

4 

19 

•30 

One  Day 

'-Work  too  hot. 

5 

21 

•30 

One  Day 

>Too  hard.  * 

6 

19 

•30 

One  Day 

-Work  too  hard.1^ 

7 

17 

•30 

One  Day 

failed  to  report. 

8 

18 

.27 

One  Day 

Cannot  stand  the  heat. 

9 

18 

'.24 

One  Day 

Another  position. 

10 

18 

•25 

One  Day 

'No  reason*/ 

ii 

69 

.29 

One  Day 

•'Work  too  heavy. 

12 

19 

•25 

One  Day 

•-No  reason/-^ 

13 

19 

.27 

One  Day 

Cannot  stand  the  heat 

14 

19 

•30 

One  Day 

•  No  reason.«-/ 

15 

49 

•30 

One  Day 

Too  hard. 

16 

18 

•25 

One  Day 

'.  No  reasons 

17 

!8 

.27 

One  Day 

Another  position. 

18 

18 

•30 

One  Day 

•-No  reason,  i/ 

19 

17 

.18 

One  Day 

vFailed  to  report. 

20 

18 

•30 

One  Day 

MDannot;  stand  heat. 

21 

19 

•30 

One  Day 

-Too  hot. 

22 

So 

•27 

One  Day 

-.Failed  to  report. 

23 

18 

.27 

One  Day 

Cannot  stand  the  heat. 

24 

29 

•30 

One  Day 

'No  reason. 

25 

18 

•30 

One  Day 

No  good. 

26 

18 

.27 

Two  Days 

>.  ^Failed  to  report 

27 

19 

.27 

Two  Days 

:.No  reason. 

28 

16 

.16 

Two  Days 

;  No  reason. 

29 

18 

•30 

Two  Days 

Failed  to  report 

30 

17 

•30 

Two  Days 

Back  to  the  country. 

31 

17 

.27 

Three  Days 

Work  too  hot. 

32 

18 

•25 

Three  Days 

-No  reason. 

33 

18 

•30 

Four  Days 

Too  lazy. 

34 

4i 

.27 

Four  Days 

iFailed  to  report. 

35 

38 

•30 

Four  Days 

Too  hard. 

36 

18 

•25 

Five  Days 

No  reason. 

37 

18 

•25 

Five  Days 

i  No  reason. 

38 

18 

•25 

One  Week 

:  No  reason. 

39 

26 

•30 

One  Week 

Work  too  hard. 

40 

3i 

.20 

One  Week 

Did  not  want  to  work.    No  good. 

4i 

17 

•30 

One  Week 

No  good. 

42 

26 

•30 

One  Week 

Too  lazy. 

43 

16 

.16 

One  Week 

Discharged, 

44 

35 

•30 

One  Week 

--No  reason. 

45 

18 

.27 

One  Week 

v  No  reason. 

i36 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE  40  —  Continued 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  RECORDS  OF  78  UNSKILLED  MALE  LABORERS  HIRED  ON  OR 

SINCE  JULY  I,  IQl8,  BUT  NOT  ON  PAY  ROLL  OCTOBER,  IQlS,  IN  A  PRINTING 

CONCERN.     (ESTABLISHMENT  No.  151.) 


EMPLOYEE 
NUMBER 

AGE 

RATE  PER 
HOUR 

How  LONG 
EMPLOYED 

REASON  FOR  LEAVING 

46 

36 

•30 

One  Week 

Ordered  to  look  for  essential  work. 

47 

16 

•23 

One  Week 

*"No  reason. 

48 

20 

.24 

One  Week 

^No  reason. 

49 

35 

•30 

Ten  Days 

Too  hard. 

50 

16 

.18 

Two  Weeks 

"Failed  to  report. 

51 

18 

•25 

Two  Weeks 

'•  No  good. 

52 

16 

.16 

Two  Weeks 

i-  No  reason. 

S3 

18 

•27 

Two  Weeks 

Better  paying  job. 

54 

52 

•32 

Two  Weeks 

Another  position. 

55 

21 

.27 

Two  Weeks 

t  No  reason. 

56 

56 

•30 

Three  Weeks 

No  reason. 

57 

16 

.22 

Three  Weeks 

'No  reason. 

58 

23 

.27 

Three  Weeks 

Another  position. 

59 

17 

•25 

One  Month 

L  No  reason. 

60 

21 

.27 

One  Month 

'  No  reason. 

61 

19 

.27 

One  Month 

Another  job. 

62 

51 

•30 

One  Month 

'  No  reason. 

63 

18 

•30 

One  Month 

Better  job. 

64 

38 

•32 

One  Month 

Drunk. 

65 

43 

.29 

One  Month 

Another  job. 

66 

17 

.27 

One  Month 

Work  too  hot  for  him. 

67 

33 

.29 

One  Month 

Discharged. 

68 

18 

•30 

One  Month 

Better  job. 

69 

40 

•33 

One  Month 

•-No  reason. 

70 

16 

.18 

Six  Weeks 

-No  reason. 

7i 

48 

•30 

Six  Weeks 

'No  reason. 

72 

22 

.29 

Six  Weeks 

Left  city. 

73 

49 

.27 

Two  Months 

Has  better  paying  job. 

74 

16 

.18 

Two  Months 

Better  job. 

75 

18 

.26 

Two  Months 

:  No  reason. 

76 

43 

•30 

Two  Months 

Wanted  more  money. 

77 

33 

•30 

Three  Months 

No  reason. 

78 

47 

.29 

Three  Months 

/'No  reason. 

higher  and  lower  hourly  wage  rates  are  found  among  those 
employees  who  served  only  a  few  days  as  well  as  among  those 
who  had  served  longer  periods.  Half  of  the  workers  listed  left 
without  giving  any  reason  or  giving  any  notice  of  their  intention 
to  leave.  A  large  proportion  left  because  they  found  the  work 
either  too  hot  or  too  hard;  only  a  few  of  those  who  quit  indicated 
that  they  had  other  jobs  in  view. 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE 


137 


LENGTH   OF   SERVICE  IN  DIFFERENT  PLANT  DEPARTMENTS 

Just  as  the  labor  instability  is  not  distributed  in  equal  degree 
among  the  different  sections  of  the  work  force,  so  the  length  of 
service  of  the  active  employees  as  well  as  the  employees  leaving 
differs  widely  in  different  sections  of  the  work  force.  This  is 
well  illustrated  in  Table  41. 

TABLE  41 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  DISTRIBUTION  OF  "ACTIVE  EMPLOYEES"  (I.E.,  THOSE  ON 

PAY  ROLL  AT  END  OF  YEAR),  AND  OF  EMPLOYEES  WHO  LEFT  DURING  THE  YEAR 

("SEPARATED  EMPLOYEES"),  IN  A  MEN'S  CLOTHING-MANUFACTURING 

PLANT  (ESTABLISHMENT  No.  103),  1917-18 


LENGTH-OF-SERVICE 
GROUP 

EMPLOYEES  ON  PAY  ROLL  AT  END 
OF  YEAR  (ACTIVE)  IN  — 

EMPLOYEES  SEPARATED  DURING 
THE  YEAR  IN  — 

GENERAL 
DEBART- 

MENT 

(CLERICAL 
ETC.) 

TAILOR- 
ING 
DEPART- 
MENT 

CUTTING 

AND 

TRIMMING 
DEPART- 
MENT 

GENERAL 
DEPART- 
MENT 
(CLERICAL 
ETC.) 

TAILOR- 
ING 
DEPART- 
MENT 

CUTTING 

AND 

TRIMMING 
DEPART- 
MENT 

i  week  or  less      .     .     . 
Over  i  week  to  2  weeks 
Over  2  weeks  to  i  month 
Over  i  month  to  3  months 
Over    3    months    to    6 
months      
Over  6  months  to  i  year 
Over  i  year  to  2  years    . 
Over  2  years  to  3  years  . 
Over  3  years  to  5  years   . 
Over  5  years  .... 

Total       .     .     .     . 

i  week  or  less 
Over  i  week  to  2  weeks 
Over  2  weeks  to  i  month 
Over    i    month    to    3 
months        .... 

NUMBER 

5 
ii 

63 
108 

64 
136 
144 
92 
84 
208 

4 
34 
"5 
205 

472 
376 
698 
596 
610 
1,029 

8 

7 
5 

12 

40 
13 

55 
24 

36 
295 

144 
106 
150 
327 

247 
207 

143 
43 
52 
45 

855 
475 
521 
993 

438 
402 
5" 
154 
323 
150 

1  06 
114 

165 
212 

I2S 

127 

48 
24 
27 

6 

9iS 

4,i39 

495 

1,464 

4,822 

954 

PER  CENT 

•5 

1.2 
6.9 

n.8 

7.0 
14.9 
iS-7 

IO.I 

9.2 
22.7 

.1 

.8 

2.8 

S-o 

11.4 
9.1 
16.9 
14.4 
14.7 
24.9 

1.6 
1.4 

I.O 

2.4 
8.1 

2.6 

ii.  i 

4-8 
7-3 
59-6 

9.8 
7.2 

10.2 
22.3 

16.9 
I4.I 
9.8 
2.9 
3-6 
3-1 

17.7 
9-6 
10.8 

20.6 

9.1 

8-3 
10.6 
3-2 
6.7 
3-i 

ii.  i 
11.9 
17-3 

22.2 

I3-I 
13-3 
•50 
2-5 
2.8 
.6 

Over    3    months    to    6 
months  
Over  6  months  to  i  year 
Over  i  year  to  2  years    . 
Over  2  years  to  3  years  . 
Over  3  years  to  5  years  . 
Over  5  years  .... 

Total       .     .     .     . 

100.0 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

IOO.O 

138  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

The  proportion  of  short-service  employees  in  the  active  work- 
ing force  is  greatest  in  the  "general"  department  —  where  20.4 
per  cent  of  those  in  service  at  that  time  had  served  3  months 
or  less.  In  the  tailoring  department  the  corresponding  length- 
of-service  group  has  9  per  cent,  and  in  the  cutting  and  trimming 
departments  6  per  cent,  of  the  employees  on  the  pay  roll.  This 
firm,  known  for  its  liberality  in  dealing  with  labor,  is  able  to  show 
a  proportion  of  long-service  groups  well  above  that  of  the 
ordinary  run  of  establishments.  The  proportion  of  employees 
with  service  records  of  over  one  year  is  57.7  per  cent,  70.9  per 
cent  and  82.8  per  cent,  respectively,  in  the  three  departments 
named.  Turning  to  the  separating  employees,  it  is  evident  that 
the  cutting  and  trimming  department  lost  fewer  of  its  old-time 
employees  than  the  other  two  groups,  although  a  good  deal  of 
shifting  also  took  place  in  these  latter  departments,  as  is 
indicated  by  the  large  proportion  of  employees  who  left  employ- 
ment after  short  periods  of  service. 

AVERAGE  WEEKLY  SERVICE  RATES 

It  is  a  matter  of  course  that  as  the  period  of  service  increases 
the  number  of  employees  who  have  served  such  period  decreases 
—  and  decreases  usually  at  a  progressively  increasing  rate. 
This  naturally  holds  true  for  both  active  and  separating  groups 
of  employees.  The  length-of-service  figures  presented  in  the 
preceding  pages  do  not  reveal  this  tendency,  for  the  reason  that 
the  length-of-service  records  were  not  tabulated  on  a  scale  made 
up  of  equal  intervals  of  time.  In  Table  34,  for  example,  it 
appears  that  nearly  as  many  separated  employees  had  service 
records  falling  within  a  range  of  from  one  to  seven  days  as  had 
service  records  of  from  one  to  three  months  —  in  which  group 
the  range  is  about  nine  times  as  great.  This  statement  of  the 
situation  is  tiue,  but  misleading.  The  really  significant  difference 
is  that  between  the  number  of  quitters  who  had  worked  one 
week  or  less  and  the  average  weekly  number  of  quitters  into 
which  the  total  number  who  had  worked  from  one  to  three 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  139 

months  is  distributed.  The  comparison  should  be  between  weekly 
averages  of  active  and  separated  employees  in  the  different 
tenure  groups.  In  other  words,  the  important  thing  to  know 
is  not  so  much  the  number  leaving  who  had  one  to  three  months' 
service  records  as  the  number  of  quitters  assignable  on  the 
average  to  each  of  the  nine  weeks  of  the  one  to  three  months' 
period  —  what  may  for  the  sake  of  brevity  be  called  the  average 
weekly  number  leaving  (or  working  on  the  active  force)  in  each 
classified  service  period. 

LENGTH   OF   SERVICE  AND   TYPE   OF   SEPARATION1 

This  " weekly  average"  is  made  the  basis  of  Table  42  which 
shows  the  number,  per  cent  distribution,  and  corrected  (i.e., 
weekly  average)  separation  service  rates  per  full-year  worker, 
of  employees  quitting  voluntarily,  laid  off,  and  discharged  from 
30  establishments  reporting  for  the  pre-war  period.2 

In  this  table  the  declining  scales  of  corrected  rates  indicate 
much  more  accurately  than  do  the  unsubdivided  figures  the 
relative  importance  of  long  and  short  time  employees  as  factors 
in  the  turnover  si tua_tion.  Relatively  high  average  weeHy  (i.e., 
corrected)  separation  rates, "  particularly  in  the  shorter  time 
periods,  indicate  relatively  low  stability  —  that  is  to_  say,  high 

turnover.    Thus  it  is  evident  from  the  corrected  separation  rates 

— . — %  t  t  *- 

of  Table  42  that  in  every  service  period  the  frequency  of  quitting 
voluntarily  is  from  3  to  7  times  as  rapid  as  the  frequency  of  lay-off 
separation  and  from  2  to  5  times  as  rapid  as  the  frequency  of 
discharge>rlror  all  three  types  of  separation  by  far  the  heaviest 
responsibility  fails,  on  TheTEderj -months  group jrjTwriich_em- 
ployees  leave,  whatever  the  circumstances  of  their  separation, 
4  and  5  times  as  rapidly,  as.  they  do  in  the  3-to-6-months  group. 
In  the  latter  group,  in  turn,  they  leave  almost  twice  as  rapidly 
as  in  the  6-to-9-months  group;  taking  the  extreme  ends  of 

1  See  Chapter  VI  for  discussion  of  type  of  separation  without  reference  to  length 
of  service. 

2  See  footnote  i  to  Table  42,  page  140. 


140 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE  42 

NUMBER,  PER  CENT  DISTRIBUTION,  AND  CORRECTED  SEPARATION  SERVICE  RATES 
OF  EMPLOYEES  QUITTING,  LAID  OFF,  AND  DISCHARGED  DURING  ONE  YEAR 

(30  establishments,  1913,  1914,  or  1915) 


TYPE  OF 
SEPARATION 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  IN  THE  MANNER  INDICATED,  WHO  HAD  WORKED  CONTINUOUSLY: 

MONTHS 

OR 

LESS 

OVER 
3  TO  6 

MONTHS 

OVER 
6  TO  9 
MONTHS 

OVER  9 
MONTHS 

TO 

i  YEAR 

OVER 

I  TO  2 

YEARS 

OVER 

2  TO  3 

YEARS 

OVER 
3  TO  5 
YEARS 

OVER 
YESARS 

TOTAL 

Quit       .      . 
Lay  off  .     . 
Discharge    . 

Total       . 

Quit       .     . 
Lay  off  .     . 
Discharge   . 

Total       . 

Quit       .     . 
Layoff  .     . 
Discharge   . 

Total       . 

NUMBER 

17,809 
4,176 
7,606 

4,069 
I,  ill 

1,474 

2,224 
780 
830 

1,391 
344 
Sii 

2,541 
551 
899 

1,270 
258 
378 

1,038 
156 
312 

1,045 
154 
261 

31,387 
7,530 
12,271 

29,591 

6,654 

3,834 

2,246 

3,991 

1,906 

1,506 

1,460 

51,188 

',.  4       -.  PER  CENT  DISTRIBUTION  IN  EACH  SERVICE  GROUP           fi 

60 

14 
26 

61 
17 

22 

58 

20 
22 

62 
IS 
23 

64 
14 
23 

67 
14 

20 

69 

10 
21 

72 
II 
18 

61 
IS 

24 

100 

100 

100 

100 

100 

IOO 

IOO 

IOO 

IOO 

CORRECTED  SEPARATION  SERVICE  RATES  PER  FULL-  YEAR  WORKER  l 

•295 
.069 
.126 

.067 
.018 
.024 

•037 
•013 

.014 

.023 
.006 
.008 

.Oil 

.002 
.004 

.006 
.001 
.002 

.002 

(2) 
.001 

— 

.519 
.125 
.203 

.490 

.109 

.064 

•037 

.017 

.009 

.003 

— 

.847 

1  Based  on  the  181,419,000  labor  hours  put  in  during  one  year  by  employees  of  30  establishments 
and  corrected  for  inequality  of  time  periods  by  dividing  the  crude  rates  in  each  group  by  the  number 
of  quarterly  periods  in  it,  as  follows: 

3  months  or  less i          Over  i  to  2  years      ....     4 

Over  3  months  to  6  months  .  i  Over  2  to  3  years  ....  4 
Over  6  to  9  months  .  .  .  .  i  Over  3  to  5  years  ....  8 
Over  9  months  to  i  year  .  .  i 

*  Less  than  .0005. 


LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  141 

the  service  scale  it  appears  that  employees  leave  voluntarily 
and  are  laid  off  or  discharged  at  least  one  hundred  times  as 
rapidly  from  the  under-3 -months  as  they  are  from  the  3-to-5 -years 
group.  The  percentage  distribution  figures  indicate  that  in  each 
service  group,  quits,  lay-offs,  and  discharges  make  up  roughly 
the  same  proportion  of  the  total  separations  assignable  to  each 
service  group,  quits  ranging  from  58  to  72  per  cent,  lay-offs  from 
10  to  20  per  cent,  and  discharges  from  18  to  26  per  cent. 


CHAPTER  IX 

STABLE  AND  UNSTABLE  EMPLOYEES 

IN  the  discussion  of  the  figures  on  the  length  of  service  of  the 
active  working  force  attention  has  been  called  to  the  fact  that 
in  each  establishment  at  a  given  time  there  will,  of  course,  be 
found  a  certain  proportion  of  long-service  employees.  No  matter 
what  divisions  of  the  working  force  may  be  considered  —  shifts, 
departments,  the  skilled  and  unskilled,  distinct  occupations,  etc. 
and  whatever  the  prevailing  factors  may  be  that  influence  the 
rate  of  labor  mobility  of  these  groups  —  they  all  will  be  found 
to  contain  elements  of  stability.  Inordinate  shifting  of  labor  is 
characteristic  only  of  certain  parts  of  the  working  force.  This 
of  course,  does  not  mean  that  senior  employees  do  not  sooner 
or  later  also  change  their  employment  and  that  they  are  not  to 
be  reckoned  at  all  as  a  factor  in  labor  mobility.  But  in  each 
establishment  at  a  given  time  will  be  found  a  nucleus  of  workers 
who  have  become  a  part  of  the  permanent  working  force,  who 
have  grown  up  in  the  establishment,  as  it  were,  and  who  are  for 
various  reasons  less  desirous  of  change.  The  fact  that  it  is  only 
a  portion  of  the  working  force  which  becomes  a  factor  in  the 
labor  mobility  over  a  given  period  shows  that  there  is  more  or 
less  concentration  in  the  mobility  of  the  plant  force,  and  for  that 
reason  the  rates  of  mobility  as  applied  to  the  working  force  as  a 
whole  do  not  correctly  assign  the  direct  responsibility  for  the 
labor  flux.  It  is  evident  that  the  rates  of  mobility  would  be  the 
same  if  the  whole  working  force  changes  completely  once  in  the 
course  of  a  year,  or,  if  one-half  of  the  work  force  changes  two 
times,  or,  one-fourth  of  the  work  force  changes  four  times,  in 
the  course  of  a  year,  and  so  on.  In  the  presentation  of  the  figures 
that  follow  an  attempt  is  made  to  establish  a  more  simple  and 
direct  connection  between  length  of  service  and  labor  mobility. 

142 


STABLE  AND   UNSTABLE  EMPLOYEES        143 

The  detailed  period-of-service  figures  of  active  employees  in 
the  industry  groups  shown  in  Table  35  in  seven  length-of- 
service  divisions,  have  been  condensed  in  Table  43  into  just  two 
divisions;  those  who  have  served  continuously  for  periods  up  to 
one  year  and  those  who  have  continuous  service  records  of  over 
one  year.  The  same  figures  are  shown  graphically  in  Chart  I. 

TABLE  43 

NUMBER  AND  PER  CENT  DISTRIBUTION  OF  "ACTIVE  EMPLOYEES"  WHO    HAD 

SERVED  ONE  YEAR  OR  LESS  AND  OVER  ONE  YEAR,  RESPECTIVELY,  IN  SPECIFIED 

INDUSTRY  GROUPS,  1917-18.    (53  ESTABLISHMENTS) 


INDUSTRY  GROUP 

NUMBER 

PER  CENT 

ONE 

YEAR 

OR 

LESS 

OVER 
ONE 
YEAR 

ONE 

YEAR 

OR 

LESS 

OVER 
ONE 
YEAR 

Automobiles  and  parts  manufacturing 
Chemical  industries  and  refineries 
Clothing  and  textile  manufacturing     . 
Furniture  and  millwork        .... 

4,429 

2,513 
1,972 

\  729 
6,760 
625 

2,750 
231 
864 
1,908 
5,667 

4,086 
i,335 
4,399 
964 
n,S04 
826 
3,4io 
709 

977 
2,3bo 
12,811 

52.0 
65.0 
31-0 
43-o 
37-o 
43-o 
45-o 
25-0 
47-o 
45-0 
31.0 

48.0 
35-0 
69.0 
57-o 
63.0 
57-0 
55-0 
75-0 
53-o 
55-o 
69.0 

Machinery  manufacturing   .... 

Mercantile  establishments   .... 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing       

Public  utilties:  Gas  and  electricity 
Street  railways 
Telephone  service 

Total 

28,448 

43,32i 

40.0 

60.0 

It  is  at  once  evident  that  of  71,769  persons  on  the  pay  rolls  of 
the  53  establishments  on  June  i,  1918,  43,321  or  60  per  cent  had 
been  in  continuous  service  over  one  year.  These  long-service 
employees  were  in  no  way  responsible  for  the  labor  mobility  of 
these  establishments  for  the  1 2-month  period  ending  with  that 
date.  The  proportion  of  employees  who  were  free  from  responsi- 
bility for  the  labor  shifting  depends  upon  the  proportion  of  long- 
service  employees  in  the  working  force,  which,  as  may  be  seen, 
varies  considerably  between  the  industry  groups  shown,  the 
highest  percentage  of  employees  having  service  records  of  over 


144 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


- 


• 

I'l 

II 


j? 

i 

1  I 
1 
I 


8  O    |H 
01   S     8 


STABLE  AND  UNSTABLE  EMPLOYEES  145 

one  year  being  in  printing  and  publishing.  Generally,  the 
proportion  of  over-one-year  active-service  employees  is  greater 
than  the  proportion  of  active  employees  who  have  worked  less 
than  one  year.  There  are  two  exceptions  among  the  industry 
groups:  automobiles  and  parts  manufacturing  and  chemical 
industries  and  refineries.  In  these  two  groups  the  proportion  of 
active  employees  with  service  periods  of  less  than  one  year  is 
greater  than  those  with  over  one  year's  service. 

Knowing  the  number  of  employees  with  service  records  at 
least  as  long  or  longer  than  the  period  for  which  the  labor  mo- 
bility is  reported,  the  responsibility  of  that  part  of  the  working 
force  which  has  actually  occasioned  the  labor  instability  can 
be  definitely  established,  and  in  Table  44  the  base  upon  which  the 
rate  of  mobility  is  measured  is  that  part  of  the  work  force  which 
directly  contributed  to  it.  The  rate  figures  given  in  the  table 
are  plotted  on  Chart  J  on  page  148.  The  table  and  graph  show 
the  responsibility  for  labor  mobility  of  the  stable  and  unstable 
employees,  respectively.1 

It  will  be  observed  that  in  these  53  establishments  with  a 
working  force  of  69,553  there  were  at  the  end  of  the  year  43,321 
employees,  representing  62  per  cent  of  those  on  the  pay  roll, 
with  a  service  record  of  over  one  year.  These  employees  were 
not  responsible  for  any  of  the  labor  changes  that  took  place 
during  the  year.  The  labor  mobility  is  thus  concentrated  on 
26,232  workers  or  38  per  cent  of  the  total  work  force.  This 
relatively  small  part  of  the  work  force  was  responsible  for  the 
labor  changes  which  took  place  during  the  year,  involving 
93,206  accessions  and  96,207  separations,  a  labor  flux  of  189,413 
persons.  This  means  that  for  every  worker  on  the  unstable 
work  force  more  than  3  persons  were  hired  and  nearly  4  persons 
left  employment,  involving  altogether  more  than  7  labor  changes 
for  each  worker.  A  comparison  of  the  labor  mobility  of  the  stable 
and  unstable  working  force  shows  the  labor  mobility  rates  based 

1  For  detailed  figures  regarding  stable  and  unstable  employees  in  individual  es- 
tablishments see  Table  C  in  the  Appendix. 


146 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

COMPARISON  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY  RATES  BASED  ON  THE  TOTAL  WORKING  FORCE 

INDUSTRY  GROUPS,  YEAR 


PER  CENT 

UNSTABLE 

NUMBER 

_ 

UNSTABLE 

PART  OF 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

OF  ES- 
TABLISH- 

1 OTAL 

WORKING 

PART  OF 

WORKING 

WORKING 
FORCE 

MENTS 

FORCE  * 

FORCE 

Is  OF  TOTAL 

WORKING 

FORCE 

Automobiles  and  parts       .     .     . 
Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

5 
3 

8,773 
3,290 

4,687 
1,955 

53 
59 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg.  .     .     . 
Furniture  and  millwork     .     .     . 

3 

i 

6,837 
1,5*4 

2,438 
550 

36 
36 

Machinery  mfg  

13 
3 

17,047 

5,543 
545 

33 

40 

Mercantile  establishments       .     . 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing     .      .     . 
Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity 

13 

2 
I 

6|732 
1^933 

3,322 
302 
956 

49 
30 
49 

Street  railways     . 

I 

3,643 

1,343 

37 

Telephone  service 

8 

17,403 

4,59i 

26 

Total      

53 

69,553 

26,232 

38 

RATE  OF  CHANGE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER  (BASED 

ON  TOTAL  WORKING  FORCE)  * 

ACCESSION 

SEPARATION 

FLUX 

Automobiles  and  parts      .     .     . 
Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

1.44 
3-27 

1-53 

2.07 

2.97 
6.24 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg.  .     .     . 

•99 

1.26 

2.25 

Furniture  and  millwork     .     .     . 

2.25 

3  '03 

5.28 

Machinery  mfg  

1.23 
1.41 

i.  ii 

2-34 
2.76 

Mercantile  establishments 

Miscellaneous  metal  products 

2-34 

2.28 

4.62 

Printing  and  publishing 

•75 

•93 

1.68 

Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity 

.81 

•54 

Street  railways    . 

.84 

i.  02 

1.86 

Telephone  service 

.90 

1.05 

i-95 

Average  

..35 

1.38 

2-73 

1  This  number  is  2216  less  than  the  number  on  the  pay  roll  of  the  53  establishments  at  the  end 
service  having  been  reduced  to  equivalent  full  year,  or  3000  hour,  workers. 

2  Represents  ratio  oi  labor  changes  (accessions,  separations  and  flux)  to  labor  hours  of  total  working 
1  Represents  ratio  of  labor  changes  (accessions,  separations  and  flux)  to  labor  hours  of  unstable 

part  of  the  working  force. 


STABLE  AND   UNSTABLE  EMPLOYEES 


147 


44 

WITH  RATES  BASED  ON  THE  UNSTABLE  PART  OF  THE  WORKING  FORCE  IN  SPECIFIED 
ENDING  MAY  31,  1918 


LABOR  HOURS 
WORKED  BY:  — 

LABOR  CHANGES 

UNSTABLE 

! 

TOTAL 

PART  OF 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

WORKING 

WORKING 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

TOTAL 

FORCE 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

FORCE 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

SIONS 

TIONS 

(FLUX) 

26,319 

14,061 

12,659 

13,490 

26,149 

Automobiles  and  parts 

9,870 

5,865 

io,743 

9,780 

20,523 

Chem.  industries  and  refineries 

20,511 

6,771 

8,587 

15,358 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

4,542 

1^650 

4,566 

7,976 

Furniture  and  millwork 

16,629 

20^881 

18,686 

39,567 

Machinery  mfg. 

4,I]C3 

1,635 

I,93I 

1,862 

3,793 

Mercantile  establishments 

20^196 
3,033 
5,799 

9,966 
906 
2,868 

15,803 
749 

15,403 
930 
1,040 

31,206 
1,679 
2,625 

Miscellaneous  metal  products  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing 
Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity 

10,929 

4,029 

3^58 

3,728 

6,786 

Street  railways 

52,206 

13,773 

15,616 

18,135 

33,751 

Telephone  service 

208,659 

78,696 

93,206 

96,207 

189,413 

Total 

RATE  OF  CHANGE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

(BASED   ON  UNSTABLE  PART   OF   WORKING 

FORCE)  » 

ACCESSION 

SEPARATION 

FLUX 

2.70 

2.88 

5.58 

Automobiles  and  parts 

5-49 

5.01 

10.50 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries 

2.79 

6.30 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

6.21 

8*.3i 

14.52 

Furniture  and  millwork 

3.78 

3.36 

7.14 

Machinery  mfg. 

3*42 

6.96 

Mercantile  establishments 

4-77 

JT 

9.42 

Miscellaneous  metal  products 

2.49 
1.65 

i'.o8 

5.58 
2-73 

Printing  and  publishing 
Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electricity 

2.28 

2.79 

5-07 

Street  railways 

3-39 

3.96 

7-35 

Telephone  service 

3-54 

3.66 

7.20 

Average 

oi  May,  1918,  shown  in  Table  34,  the  labor  time  of  the  employees  with  less  than  one  year's  continuous 

force,  or,  in  other  words,  to  the  equivalent  number  of  full-year  workers  in  the  total  working  force, 
part  of  working  force,  or,  in  other  words,  to  the  equivalent  number  of  full-time  workers  in  the  unstable 


148 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


on  the  labor  hours  of  the  Unstable  part  of  the  work  force  to  be 
nearly  three  times  as  great  as  the  labor-change  rates  based  on 

CHART  J.    COMPARISON  OF  LABOR  FLUX  RATES  BASED  ON  THE  TOTAL  WORK 

FORCE  WITH  RATES  BASED  ON  THE  UNSTABLE  PART  OF  THE  WORK 

FORCE,  BY  INDUSTRY  GROUPS 

(Unit:  One  labor  change  per  full-year  worker.) 


INDUSTRY  GROUP 


0     5    10 


All  Industries 

Public  Utilities: Gas  &  Electricity 

Printing  &  Publishing 

Public  Utilities:  Street  Railways 
"      Telephone  Servi 

Clothing  &  Textile  Mfg. 

Machinery  Mfg. 

Mercantile  Establishments 

Automobiles  &  Parts  Mfg.- 

Miscell.  Metal  Products  Mfg; 

Furniture  &  Millwork 

Chemical  Industries  &  Refineries- 


Flux  Based  on  Total  Force 
Flux  Based  on  Unstable  Force 


the  labor  hours  of  the  whole  working  force.  The  extent  of 
the  direct  responsibility  for  the  labor  changes  within  the  work 
force  varies  considerably  among  the  different  industry  groups 
shown,  such  responsibility  being  dependent,  of  course,  upon  the 


STABLE  AND  UNSTABLE  EMPLOYEES  149 

proportion  of  long-service  employees  in  the  different  establish- 
ments. 

The  importance  of  employees  of  long  tenure  as  a  factor  in  labor 
stability  and  their  influence  upon  labor  mobility  rates  is  well 
illustrated  by  the  mobility  figures  for  the  telephone  service  group. 
At  the  termination  of  the  mobility  census  it  appeared  that  74 
per  cent  of  the  employees  had  been  in  service  more  than  a  year, 
thus  concentrating  the  labor  mobility  upon  26  per  cent  of  the 
total  work  force.  The  labor  change  rates  in  the  telephone  service 
as  applied  to  the  total  working  force  are  .90,  1.05  and  1.95  for 
accession,  separation,  and  flux,  respectively,  but  the  number  of 
labor  shiftings  when  applied  to  that  part  of  the  working  force  to 
which  the  turnover  is  actually  attributable  show  corresponding 
rates  of  3.39,  3.96  and  7.35.  This  clearly  indicates  relatively 
low  labor  mobility  for  the  working  force  as  a  whole  in  the  tele- 
phone service,  reveals  a  concentration  of  whatever  labor  mo- 
bility there  has  been  upon  a  comparatively  small  portion  of 
the  plant  forces  and  shows  very  frequent  changes  within  the 
personnel  of  the  unstable  labor  group. 

In  general,  it  may  be  observed  that  in  those  industry  groups 
which  have  a  comparatively  low  percentage  of  unstable  employees 
and  also  a  relatively  low  mobility  rate  as  based  upon  the  total 
working  force,  the  difference  between  the  mobility  rate  based 
on  the  total  working  force  and  the  rate  based  on  the  unstable 
working  force  is  also  considerably  greater  than  in  industry  groups 
in  which  a  larger  proportion  of  the  working  force  is  responsible 
for  the  mobility.  The  explanation  for  this  is  that  in  those  indus- 
try groups  which  show  a  low  percentage  of  unstable  employees 
only  a  comparatively  small  part  of  the  work  force  is  responsible  for 
the  labor  changes,  and  the  labor  forces  of  these  industry  groups 
contain  a  large  number  of  senior  employees  who  are  not  at  all 
responsible  for  the  flux.  These  establishments  for  that  reason 
are  able  to  show  a  comparatively  low  mobility  rate  when  based 
on  the  entire  working  force.  In  establishments  showing  a 
higher  percentage  of  unstable  employees  the  responsibility  for 


150 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


the  labor  shifting  is  more  evenly  distributed  in  the  working  force, 
and  differences  in  the  mobility  rates  between  the  stable  and  un- 
stable working  force  are,  therefore,  correspondingly  lower. 
For  example,  the  unstable  working  force  in  the  telephone  service 
group  is  relatively  small  —  26  per  cent;  the  difference  in  the 
flux  rates  between  the  stable  and  unstable  working  force  is  5.40. 
In  the  automobiles-and-parts  group  the  unstable  working  force 
is  comparatively  large  —  53  per  cent  —  and  the  difference  in  the 
flux  rate  of  the  two  divisions  of  the  work  force  is  only  2.61. 

Because  of  the  great  variations  in  the  mobility  rates  of  the  in- 
dividual establishments  constituting  any  particular  industrial 
group,  some  summary  figures  classifying  the  labor  flux  rates  of 
the  stable  and  unstable  working  force  of  the  53  individual 
establishments  covered  in  the  preceding  table  are  given  below. 

TABLE  45 

NUMBER  OF  ESTABLISHMENTS  HAVING  CLASSIFIED  LABOR  FLUX  RATES  BASED 

(i)  ON  THE  WHOLE  WORKING  FORCE  AND  (2)  ON  THE  UNSTABLE  PART  OF 

WORKING  FORCE,  YEAR  ENDING  MAY  31,  1918.      (53  ESTABLISHMENTS) 


CLASSIFIED  FLUX  RATE 

NUMBER  OF  ESTABLISHMENTS  HAV- 
ING CLASSIFIED  LABOR  FLUX  RATES 
PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER,  BASED  ON 

TOTAL 
WORKING  FORCE 

UNSTABLE 
WORKING  FORCE 

FLUX  RATE:  ALL  ESTABLISHMENTS  

2.7 

7.2 

I 

14 
18 
6 
8 
4 

2 

2 

4 
9 
13 
6 
6 
5 

2 

I 

3 

2 

Over    o  6  to  10  8 

Over  12  o  to  13  2 

Over  132  to  14  4 

Total       

53 

S3 

STABLE  AND   UNSTABLE  EMPLOYEES  151 

The  great  range  of  variation  in  the  flux  rates  of  the  unstable 
working  forces  of  the  53  individual  establishments  (the  combined 
rate  for  which  is  7.2)  may  be  gauged  from  the  fact  that  the 
unstable-work-force  flux  rate  in  two  establishments  falls  so  low 
as  to  come  within  the  flux-rate  group  of  over  2.4  to  3.6  (about 
two  changes  for  each  worker  in  the  unstable  work  force),  while 
there  are  two  concerns  the  flux  rate  of  which  is  classified  in 
the  flux-rate  group  of  over  14.4  to  15.6  (about  15  labor  changes 
for  every  employee  in  the  unstable  work  force).  An  even  more 
striking  presentation  of  the  comparative  instability  of  stable  and 
unstable  employees  is  made  in  Table  46.  In  it  the  data  relating 
to  the  labor  mobility  of  the  individual  establishments  are  grouped 
according  to  the  relative  proportions  of  their  unstable  employees 
to  the  total  working  force. 

These  figures  bring  out  in  a  very  graphic  manner  the  fact  to 
which  reference  has  been  made  above;  namely,  that  as  the  pro- 
portion of  the  unstable  working  force  increases,  thus  showing  the 
responsibility  for  the  labor  changes  to  be  more  largely  distributed 
among  the  whole  working  force,  the  labor  mobility  rates  also 
show  a  decided  tendency  to  increase.  The  margin,  however, 
between  the  labor  change  rates  of  the  whole  work  force  and 
those  of  the  unstable  working  force  is  decidedly  less  as  the  pro- 
portion of  the  unstable  portion  of  the  working  force  to  the  total 
working  forces  increases.  A  comparison  of  the  flux  rates  of  the 
two  divisions  of  the  working  force  shows  this  margin  to  be  as 
follows:  when  the  proportion  of  unstable  working  force  to  total 
working  force  is  20  per  cent  or  less,  the  flux  rate  margin  is  6.63 ; 
when  it  is  over  20  to  40  per  cent,  the  margin  is  4.26;  when  it  is 
over  40  to  60  per  cent,  the  margin  is  3.96;  and  when  it  is  over 
60  per  cent,  the  margin  is  1.92. 


152 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

COMPARISON  OF  LABOR  MOBILITY  RATES  BASED  ON  THE  TOTAL  WORKING 
FORCE,  CLASSIFIED  ACCORDING  TO  THE  RELATIVE  SIZE  OF 


ESTABLISHMENTS  IN  WHICH  PROPOR- 
TIONS OF  UNSTABLE  WORKING 
FORCE  TO  TOTAL  WORKING 
FORCE  WERE  — 

NUMBER  or 
ESTABLISH- 
MENTS 

TOTAL 
WORKING 
FORCE 

UNSTABLE 
PART  OF 
WORKING 
FORCE 

LABOR  HOURS 

TOTAL 
WORKING 
FORCE 
(THOUSANDS) 

20  per  cent  or  less     .     .     . 
Over  20  to  40  per  cent   . 
Over  40  to  60  per  cent  . 
Over  60  per  cent 

Total  

4 
17 

22 
IO 

18,389 
29,281 
14,624 
7,253 

3,407 
10,181 
7,406 
5,238 

55,i67 
87,843 
43,872 
21,777 

S3 

69,553 

26,232 

208,659 

20  per  cent  or  less     .     .     . 
Over  20  to  40  per  cent   .     . 
Over  40  to  60  per  cent   .     . 
Over  60  per  cent       .     .     . 

Total   

RATE  PER  FULL-  YEAR  WORKER,  BASED  ON 
TOTAL  WORKING  FORCE 

ACCESSION               SEPARATION 

FLUX 

.69                          .81 
1.08                      1.14 

2.10                               I.Q5 

2.43                    2.61 

1.50 

2.22 
4-05 
5-04 

1.35              1.38 

2-73 

STABLE  AND  UNSTABLE  EMPLOYEES 


153 


46 

FORCE  WITH  RATES  BASED  ON  THE  UNSTABLE  PART  OF  THE  WORKING 
THE  UNSTABLE  PART  OF  THE  WORKING  FORCE,  1917-18 


WORKED  BY  — 

LABOR  CHANGES 

ESTABLISHMENTS  IN  WHICH  PRO- 
PORTIONS OF  UNSTABLE  WORKING 
FORCE  TO  TOTAL  WORKING 
FORCE  WERE  — 

UNSTABLE 
PART  OF 
WORKING 
FORCE 
(THOUSANDS) 

ACCESSIONS 

SEPARATIONS 

TOTAL 
(FLUX) 

10,221 

30,543 
22,218 

15,714 

12,825 
32,062 
30,693 
17,626 

14,904 
33,792 
28,608 
18,903 

27,729 
65,854 
59,301 
36,529 

20  per  cent  or  less 
Over  20  to  40  per  cent 
Over  40  to  60  per  cent 
Over  60  per  cent 

Total 

20  per  cent  or  less 
Over  20  to  40  per  cent 
Over  40  to  60  per  cent 
Over  60  per  cent 

Total 

78,696 

93,206 

96,207 

189,413 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER,  BASED  ON 
UNSTABLE  WORKING  FORCE 

ACCESSION                  SEPARATION 

FLUX 

3-75                         4.38 
3-15                         3-33 
4.14                         3.87 
3-36                         3.60 

8.13 
6.48 
8.01 
6.96 

3-54                         3-66 

7.20 

CHAPTER  X 

RELATIVE   RESPONSIBILITY   OF  DIFFERENT   SERVICE    GROUPS 
FOR  LABOR  MOBILITY 

THE  length-of-service  figures  given  in  Chapter  VIII,  although 
useful  for  some  purposes,  fail  to  report  the  true  situation  as  to 
the  proportion  of  the  whole  amount  of  shifting  for  which  each 
different  length-of-service  group  of  separating  employees  must 
be  held  responsible.  The  principal  difficulty  with  such  a  length- 
of-service  classification  as  that  shown  in  Table  34  is  that  the 
service  periods  in  the  scale  are  of  unequal  length  and  the  numbers 
of  those  leaving  during  those  unequal  periods  are,  therefore,  not 
strictly  comparable.  It  is  true  that  a  revision  was  made  in  the 
last  table  presented  in  the  chapter  on  length  of  service,1  in  which 
table  the  unequal  time  periods  are  equated  by  dividing  the 
figures  of  each  group  by  the  number  of  weeks  in  the  span  of  ser- 
vice time.  This  method,  however,  is  not  quite  adequate,  and  in 
Table  47  the  same  set  of  length-of-service  figures  is  so  presented 
as  to  make  in  another  and  more  accurate  way  the  necessary 
correction  for  this  disparity  in  length  between  the  different 
service  periods.2 

The  first  column  of  the  table  is  identical,  except  for  decimals, 
with  the  corresponding  figures  for  the  active  employees  in  Table 
34.  In  column  2  the  total  number  of  labor  hours  worked  by  the 
employees  of  the  fifty- three  concerns  in  1913-14  and  the  corre- 
sponding number  worked  by  the  employees  of  the  thirty-four 
concerns  in  1917-18,  respectively,  are  distributed  (for  each  of 
the  two  periods)  in  the  same  percentage  proportions  that  hold  for 
the  employees  who  were  on  the  pay  roll  at  the  end  of  the  year. 

1  Table  42,  p.  140. 

2  The  method  used  in  Table  47  was  suggested  to  the  writers  by  Mr.  Lucian  W, 
Chancy,  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics. 

154 


RELATIVE  RESPONSIBILITY 


155 


TABLE  47 
SEPARATION  RATES  IN  SPECIFIED  LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  GROUPS 

(Based  on  allocation  of  the  total  labor  hours  among  the  different  length-of-service 

groups) 

[Number  of  establishments  reporting:  1913-14,  34;  1917-18,  53] 


LENGTH-OI-SERVICE  GROUP 

PER  CENT 
DISTRIBUTION 
OF  EMPLOYEES 
ON  PAY  ROLL 
AT  END 
OF  YEAR 
(ACTIVE 
EMPLOYEES) 

CORRESPOND- 
ING DISTRI- 
BUTION OF 
LABOR  HOURS 
IN  EACH 
SPECIFIED 
LENGTH-OF- 
SERVICE 
GROUP 
(THOUSANDS) 

SEPARATIONS 

NUMBER 
IN  EACH 
GROUP 

RATE  PER 
3000  LABOR 
HOURS 
(FULL-YEAR 
WORKER) 
IN  EACH 

GROUP1 

Three  months  or  less    .     .     . 
Over  3  months  to  6  months     . 
Over  6  months  to  i  year    .      . 
Over  i  year  to  ?  years       .      . 
Over  2  years  to  3  years      .      . 
Over  3  years  to  5  years      .      . 
Over  5  years      

1913-14 

13-15 

740 
8.32 
12.08 
11.14 
15.01 
32.90 

29,351 

16,517 
18,570 
26,963 
24,865 
33,503 
73,437 

28,407 

8,516 
7,497 
4,415 
2,162 

i,845 
1,776 

2.QO 

i-55 

I.2I 

•49 
.26 

•17 
.07 

Total     

IOO.OO 

223,206  2 

54,6i8 

•74 

One  week  or  less      .... 
Over  i  week  to  2  weeks     .     . 
Over  2  weeks  to  i  month  . 
Over  i  month  to  3  months 
Three  months  or  less    . 
Over  3  months  to  6  months     . 
Over  6  months  to  i  year    . 
Over  i  year  to  2  years 
Over  2  years  to  3  years 
Over  3  years  to  5  years      .     . 
Over  5  years                  .     .      . 

1917-18 

2.25 
2.50 

4.11 

9-83 
18.69 

8-39 
12.56 

14-57 
9-23 
8.81 

27-75 

4,695 
5,216 
8,576 
20,511 
38,998 
I7,5o6 
26,208 
30,402 
i9,259 
18,383 
57,903 

16,476 
9,664 
n,54i 
18,912 

56,593 

11,770 
9,813 
6,645 
2,476 
2,780 
3,oi5 

10.53 
5.56 
4.04 
2.76 
4-35 

2.02 
1.  12 
.66 
•39 

•45 
.16 

Total           

100.00 

208,659  2 

93,092 

1-34 

Calculated  after  this  fashion: 


28407 


X  3000  =  2.90. 


29351000 

J  Aggregate  number  of  labor  hours  worked,  during  the  years  covered,  in  the  establishments 
represented  in  the  table,  for  the  war  and  pre-war  periods  respectively. 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


This  reveals  the  number  of  full-year  workers  assignable  to  the 
various  length  of  service  groups.  Column  3  is  identical  with  the 
separation  figures  in  Table  34.  In  column  4  are  given  the  rates  of 
separation  per  3000  labor  hours  worked  by  each  length  of  service 
group.  These  figures  are  obtained  by  dividing  the  number  of 
separating  employees  who  have  served  each  specified  time 
period  by  the  number  of  labor  hours  worked  by  that  group 
and  multiplying  the  quotient  by  3000.  The  resulting  scale  of 
separation  rates  gives  a  very  good  idea  of  the  relative  responsi- 
bility of  the  different  service  groups  for  excessive  labor  mobility 
and  shows  that  the  great  bulk  of  it  is  caused  by  the  short-time 
employee,  very  little  of  it,  indeed,  being  due  to  the  separation 
from  service  of  employees  who  had  served  more  than  one 
year. 

The  separation  rates  for  each  of  the  different  industry  groups, 
presented  in  Table  48,  are  derived  in  exactly  the  same  way  as  are 
the  rates  in  the  last  column  of  Table  47. 

TABLE 

SEPARATION  RATES  IN  SPECIFIED  INDUSTRY  GROUPS,  CLASSIFIED  ACCORDING  TO 

AMONG  THE  DIFFERENT  LENGTH-OF-SERVICE 


RATE  OF  SEPARATION  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER  IN  EACH 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

ONE 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

WEEK 

i  WEEK 

2  WEEKS 

i  MONTH 

3  Mos. 

6  Mos. 

OR 

TO 

TO 

TO 

TO. 

TO 

LESS 

2  WEEKS 

i  MONTH 

3  Mos. 

6  Mos. 

i  YEAR 

Automobiles  and  parts     . 

5-04 

3-24 

3-75 

2.46 

2.07 

1.65 

Chem.  industr's  and  refineries 

13.80 

8.16 

5-64 

3.36 

1-95 

•99 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

24.00 

8.19 

4.08 

4-32 

1.44 

1.44 

Furniture  and  millwork    . 

16.92 

8.82 

5-91 

6.72 

5-97 

1.41 

Machinery  mfg. 

7.38 

4.20 

3.00 

2.13 

2.13 

1.05 

Mercantile  establishments 

747 

2.64 

4.14 

3-J5 

2-73 

.87 

Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 

19.92 

9-93 

5-07 

342 

2.67 

1.02 

Printing  and  publishing    . 

6.75 

3-24 

3-93 

2.22 

i-53 

1.47 

Public  utilities: 

Gas  and  electricity 

1.23 

.69 

i-95 

1.23 

.60 

.48 

Street  railways  . 

4.80 

2-55 

2.64 

2.07 

1.38 

1.23 

Tel.  service  .     . 

9-39 

5-49 

4-83 

2.64 

2.19 

•93 

All  industries  .     . 

10-53 

5.56 

4.04 

2.76 

2.  02 

1.  12 

RELATIVE  RESPONSIBILITY 


157 


Again,  in  Table  48,  the  rapidly  declining  separation  rate  figures 
along  the  length-of-service  scale  show  how  relatively  little  the 
long-service  employees  have  to  do  with  the  labor  shift.  Some 
significant  differences  between  the  industry  groups  may  be 
pointed  out :  In  street  railways  and  telephone  service,  two  similar 
groups  whose  total  separation  rates  are  about  equal,  there  is, 
nevertheless,  a  wide  difference  between  the  corresponding  rates 
in  the  shortest  service  group.  This  would  seem  to  indicate,  as 
has  been  suggested  in  another  chapter,  that  the  telephone  service 
industry  is  obliged  to  make  much  more  frequent  replacements  of 
employees  who  have  served  less  than  a  week  than  is  the  case  with 
street  railways.  A  similar  disproportionately  high  separation 
rate  among  those  who  have  worked  less  than  a  week  is  observable 
in  the  clothing  and  textile  manufacturing  group,  which  has  for 
this  minimum  service  period  the  highest  rate  of  all  the  groups 
shown,  and  this  despite  the  fact  that  the  total  separation  rate 
for  this  industry  group  is  slightly  below  the  average. 

48 

LENGTH  OF  SERVICE.    (BASED  ON  ALLOCATION  OF  THE  TOTAL  LABOR  HOURS 
GROUPS).    1917-18  (53  establishments) 


SPECIFIED  LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  GROUP 

OVER 

OVER 

OVER 

INDUSTRY  GROUP 

i  YEAR 

a  YEARS 

3  YEARS 

OVER 

Au. 

TO 

TO 

TO 

FIVE 

GROUPS 

2  YEARS 

3  YEARS 

S  YEARS 

YEARS 

.78 

.90 

•39 

.24 

i-53 

Automobiles  and  parts 

•57 

•39 

.36 

.18 

1.9 

Chem.  industries  and  refineries 

•75 

•33 

•51 

.12 

1.26 

Clothing  and  textile  mfg. 

•93 

•36 

•54 

•33 

3-03 

Furniture  and  millwork 

.69 

.24 

•33 

.12 

i.  ii 

Machinery  mfg. 

•78 
•63 

•51 
•30 

•63 
•36 

.18 
.12 

£3 

Mercantile  establishments 
Miscel.  metal  products  mfg. 

.66 

.72 

•78 

-21 

•93 

Printing  and  publishing 

Public  utilities: 

.36 

.24 

.42 

•IS 

•54 

Gas  and  electricity 

•63 

.42 

.60 

•IS 

i.  02 

Street  railways 

.60 

•36 

.48 

.18 

1.05 

Telephone  service 

.66 

•39 

•45 

.16 

1-34 

All  industries 

158 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


This  same  analysis  of  the  length  of  service  data  is  followed  in 
Table  49,  which  makes  a  comparison  between  skilled  workers  and 
semi-skilled  or  unskilled  workers.  The  figures  again  exhibit  a 
difference  in  stability  in  favor  of  skilled  workers.1 


TABLE  49 

SEPARATION  RATES  IN  SPECIFIED  LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  GROUPS  OF  SKILLED  AND 
UNSKILLED  WORKERS 

(Based  on  allocation  of  the  total  labor  hours  among  the  length-of-service  groups.) 
(1913-1915.     17  establishments  reporting) 


LENGTH  or  SERVICE  GROUP 

PER  CENT 
DISTRIBUTION 
OF  EMPLOYEES 
ON  PAY  ROLL 
AT  END  OF 
YEAR 
(ACTIVE 
EMPLOYEES) 

CORRESPOND- 
ING DISTRI- 
BUTION OF 
LABOR  HOURS 
IN  EACH 
SPECIFIED 
LENGTH-OF- 
SERVICE  GROUP 
(THOUSANDS) 

SEPARATIONS 

NUMBER 
IN  EACH 
GROUP 

RATE  PER 
FULL-YEAR 
WORKER 
IN  EACH 
GROUP* 

Three  months  or  less 
Over  3  months  to  6  months 
Over  6  months  to  i  year 
Over  i  to  2  years 
Over  2  to  3  years 
Over  3  to  5  years 
Over  5  years  

SKILLED 

10.827 

7-233 
7.602 
14.580 
11.411 
15.029 
33-3I8 

7,104 
4,746 
4,988 

9,567 
7,488 
9,861 
21,862 

7,072 
2,218 
1,869 
932 
640 
412 
536 

2.99 
1.40 

1.  12 
.29 
.26 

'13 

.08 

Total       

IOO.OOO 

65,616 

13,679 

.62 

Three  months  or  less 
Over  3  months  to  6  months 
Over  6  months  to  i  year 
Over  i  to  2  years 
Over  2  to  3  years 
Over  3  to  5  years 

SEMI-SKILLED  AND  UNSKILLED 

24.408 
11-55° 
8.341 
12.446 
12.623 
14.067 
16.565 

9,622 

4,553 
3,288 
4,906 
4,976 
5,545 
6,530 

n,i45 
2,875 
2,065 

1,211 

545 
400 
308 

346 

•74 
•33 

.22 

.14 

Total       

IOO.OOO 

39,420 

18,549 

I.4I 

1  See,  for  other  statistical  data  on  skilled  and  unskilled  workers,  Tables  19, 
24,  and  39. 

2  Obtained  by  dividing  the  number  of  separations  in  each  group  by  correspond- 
ing number  of  labor  hours  and  multiplying  by  3000. 


RELATIVE  RESPONSIBILITY 


IS9 


FREQUENCY   OF   JOB   REPLACEMENT    IN    DIFFERENT    LENGTH- OF - 
SERVICE    GROUPS 

It  has  already  been  pointed  out  that,  as  is  quite  obvious,  there 
is  enormous  variation  in  the  turnover  distribution  in  relation 
directly  to  length  of  service,  that  the  jobs  held  by  the  newly 
hired  employees  —  whether  they  are  skilled  mechanics'  jobs  or 
unskilled  laborers'  jobs  —  are  responsible  for  a  preponderating 
share  of  the  separations.  For  some  jobs  there  is  evidently  a  very 

TABLE  50 

RELATIVE  FREQUENCY  OF  JOB  REPLACEMENT  IN  SPECIFIED  LENGTH-OF-SERVICE 
GROUPS.    1917-1918 

(53  establishments  reporting) 


L,ENGTH-OF-SERVICE 

SEPARATED  EM- 
PLOYEES WHO 
SERVED  CONTINU- 
OUSLY EACH  CLAS- 
SIFIED PERIOD 

MEAN 
LENGTH 

OF 

TOTAL 

NUMBER  OF 
MAN-DAYS 
WORKED 

EQUIVALENT  FULL- 
YEAR  POSITIONS  IN 
EACH  GROUP 

NUMBER 

OF 

PERSONS 
IN  EACH 
EQUIVA- 

GROUP 

NUMBER 

PERCENT- 
AGE 
DISTRI- 

SERVICE 
(DAYS) 

BY  EACH 
GROUP 

DURING 

THE  YEAR 

NUMBER 

PERCENT- 
AGE 
DISTRI- 
BUTION 

LENT 
FULL-  YEAR 
POSITION 

DURING 

BUTION 

THE  YEAR 

(I) 

(2) 

(3) 

(4) 

(s) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

IQl8 

One  week  or  less    . 

16,476 

21.  1 

4 

65,904 

180.56 

I.I 

Ql-3 

Over  i  to  2  weeks 

9,664 

12.4 

ii 

106,304 

291.24 

1.8 

33-2 

Over  2  wks.  to  i  mo. 

n,54i 

14-8 

22 

253,902 

695.62 

4.4 

16.6 

Over  i  to  3  months 

18,912 

24.2 

60 

1,134,720 

3,108.82 

19.4 

6.1 

Over  3  to  6  months 

11,770 

15-0 

135 

1,588,950 

4,353-29 

27.2 

2.7 

Over  6  mo.  to  i  yr. 

9,8i3 

I2.S 

273 

2,688,762 

7,366.47 

46.1 

i-3 

Total   .     .     . 

78,176 

IOO.O 

5,838,542 

15,996.01 

IOO.O 

high  " rotation  in  office";  for  others  the  frequency  of  shift  is 
much  lower.  It  is  very  important  to  know  what  proportion  of 
the  jobs  in  a  plant  is  subject  to  high,  and  what  proportion  to 
low,  rotation  frequencies.  An  attempt  to  indicate  this  is  made  in 
Table  50  above,  which  presents  a  further  analysis  of  the 
service  distribution  of  78,176  persons  who,  before  they  had 


i6o 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


served  more  than  a  year,  left  the  service  of  the  53  establishments 
reporting  the  necessary  data  in  191 8. l 

The  principal  object  of  this  table  is  to  show  (i)  in  what  length- 
of -service  sections  of  the  working  force  the  labor  shift  and  replace- 
ment is  most  frequent  and  how  frequent  it  is  in  those  sections, 
and  (2)  how  many  full-time  jobs  are  directly  affected  by  these 
respective  intensities  of  mobility  in  the  different  parts  of  the 
working  force.  To  throw  light  on  these  two  points  it  is  first  of 
all  necessary  to  hit  upon  an  average  length  of  service  for  each 
of  the  original  service  groups.  For  this  average  the  arithmetic 
mean  has  been  taken  —  the  mean  length  of  time  between  the 
minimum  and  maximum  time  in  each  group.  The  assumption 
here  —  and  upon  this  assumption  the  whole  of  the  following 
analysis  rests  —  is  that  the  sum  of  the  individual  service  devia- 
tions (plus  or  minus)  from  the  mean  is  zero  or  very  close  to  zero.2 
It  would  seem  probable  from  what  slight  information  is  available 
that  considerably  more  individual  service  records  fall  below  the 
mean  time  than  above  it  —  that  is  to  say,  so  many  "floaters" 
work  only  a  day  or  two  that  the  time  average  for  the  first  group 

1  This  method  was  applied  originally  in  an  analysis  of  labor  turnover  data  from 
the  San  Francisco  Bay  region.  8  Mo.  Labor  Rev.  363-380.  (February,  1919.) 

8  This  assumption  is  confirmed  by  the  following: 

In  two  Cincinnati  shops  the  length-of -service  distribution  of  1990  employees 
(in  all  occupations)  leaving  in  1918,  the  aggregate  number  of  days  worked  by  them, 
and  the  average  length  of  service  in  each  group  are  as  follows: 


SEPARATED 

LENGTH-OF-SERVICE  PERIOD 

EMPLOYEES 
WHO  SERVED 
CONTINUOUSLY 
EACH  CLASSI- 

TOTAL DAYS 
WORKED 

AVERAGE 
DAYS  OF 
SERVICE 

FIED  PERIOD 

One  week  or  less 

439 

i,56i 

3-56 

Over  i  week  to  2  weeks 

275 

2,934 

10.67 

Over  2  weeks  to  i  month  . 

348 

7,495 

21-54 

Over  i  month  to  3  months 

527 

29,184 

55.38 

Over  3  months  to  6  months 

244 

31,488 

129.05 

Over  6  months  to  i  year    . 

157 

39,663 

252.63 

Total       . 

1,990 

112,325 

RELATIVE  RESPONSIBILITY  161 

is  possibly  two  days  rather  than  four.  This  probable  lag  of  the 
true  average  of  individual  cases  behind  the  mean  length  of  service 
which  has  been  used  is  undoubtedly  greatest  in  the  one-week-and- 
under  group  and  certainly  cannot  be  of  any  serious  consequence 
in  the  longer  groups.  In  any  case  the  effect  of  this  probable  lag 
or  negative  deviation  is  to  produce  a  somewhat  lower  turnover 
figure.  Thus,  if  two  days  be  taken  as  the  basic  average  for  the 
first  group,  there  would  appear  in  this  rapidly  changing  part  of 
the  working  force  a  group  of  90  jobs,  in  each  of  which  there  were 
90  replacements  during  one  year,  whereas,  on  the  four  days' 
basis  it  is  a  group  of  180  jobs,  each  having  90  replacements 
annually.  In  short,  the  mean  length  of  service  is,  especially  for 
the  very  short  periods,  more  nearly  an  outside  figure  for,  rather 
than  an  average  of,  the  individual  cases. 

It  should  be  noted  also  that  the  calculation  is  based  upon  the 
calendar  year  of  365  days  and  not  upon  the  number  of  days 
worked  by  a  "fully  employed  person,"  which  latter  basis  is  used 
in  other  parts  of  this  book  in  computing  the  number  of  full-time 
jobs  or  standard  working  force. 

This  method  of  working  out  the  results  in  Table  50  may  be 
illustrated  by  the  figures  for  the  first  group.  On  the  basis  of  the 
assumption  explained  above,  each  of  16,476  persons  worked  an 
average  of  4  days.  Assuming  that  all  jobs  were  continuously 
occupied,  it  follows  that  the  number  of  successive  incumbents 
of  each  job  subject  to  this  maximum  frequency  of  "rotation  in 
office  "  must  have  been  365  divided  by  4,  or  91 .3.  Similarly  there 
must  have  been  33.2  persons  in  successive  occupancy  of  each  of 
the  jobs  held  by  the  one-to-two- weeks  group,  and  so  on.  This 
constitutes  a  series  of  constants,  supplementing  the  mean- 
length-of-service  constants  in  column  4  and  indicating  the 
average  number  of  men  required  during  the  year  to  hold  down 
each  job  in  each  of  the  specified  time  groups.  The  next  step  is  to 
ascertain  the  number  of  jobs,  each  of  which  is  successively  occu- 
pied by  91  employees,  33  employees,  etc.,  during  the  year.  This 
is  done  by  dividing  the  number  of  man-days  worked  in  each  group 


162  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

(the  product  of  the  mean  length  of  service  by  the  number  of  em- 
ployees in  the  group)  by  365.  This  indicates  that  in  the  one- 
week-and-under  group  there  are  181  jobs,  to  each  of  which  an 
average  job  replacement  frequency  rate  of  91  incumbents  per 
year  applies.  Similarly  in  the  over-one-to-two-weeks  group 
there  are  291  jobs  (2  per  cent  of  all  the  full-time  jobs)  in  which 
there  are  32  replacements  a  year;  and  at  the  other  end  of  the 
scale,  in  the  6-months-to-one-year  group,  7366,  or  46  per  cent 
of  all  full-time  jobs,  in  which  there  are  ii  replacements  a  year. 
The  figures  indicate,  in  other  words,  the  numbers  of  full-time 
jobs  in  which  there  were  the  classified  numbers  of  incumbents 
per  year.  They  mean,  e.g.,  that  on  the  average  each  of  the  181 
full-time  jobs  in  the  first  and  shortest  group  had  91  incumbents 
during  the  year. 

At  the  relatively  stable  end  of  the  length-of-service  scale  it 
appears  that  the  six-months-to-one-year  group,  numbering  9813, 
who  had  occupied  7366,  or  46  per  cent,  of  the  full-time  jobs, 
contributed  13  per  cent  of  the  separations  and  suffered  one  re- 
placement a  year.  At  the  unstable  end  of  the  scale  it  is  evident 
that  the  under-one- week  group,  numbering  16,476  employees, 
who  had  occupied  181,  or  i  per  cent  of  the  full-time  jobs,  con- 
tributed 21  per  cent  of  the  separations  and  suffered  90  replace- 
ments a  year.  In  this  most  unstable  group,  where  the  jobs  natu- 
rally suffer  the  highest  replacement  frequency,  it  would  appear 
that  in  each  of  181  full-time  jobs  there  were,  on  the  average,  90 
new  men  hired,  and  this  little  group  of  jobs  was  occupied  at  one 
time  or  another  during  the  year  by  16,476  persons,  who  made  up 
21  per  cent  of  the  separations  and,  consequently,  were  responsible 
for  that  proportion  of  the  turnover.  It  is  realized  that  these 
conclusions  are  based  upon  the  estimated  figures  for  the  mean 
length  of  service  in  each  time  period.  This  makes  it  impossible 
in  every  case  to  check  the  derived  figures  of  Table  50  with  the 
direct  figures  reported  from  the  establishments,  but  does  not 
appear  to  invalidate  the  general  conclusion. 


CHAPTER  XI 

EMPLOYMENT  RECORDS 

THE  establishment  employment  records  primarily  needed  for 
the  development  of  useful  statistics  of  labor  mobility  on  the  lines 
indicated  in  the  body  of  this  book  are: 

(1)  Number  of  labor  hours  worked, 

a.  In  the  shape  of  clock  records  or  other  records  of 

labor,  time,  or 

b.  To  be  derived  from  daily  attendance  records,  or 

c.  From  amounts  paid  out  in  wages  at  various  rates, 

d.  From  pay-roll  records  by  some  method  of  discount- 

ing gross  pay  roll  for  both  absentee-time  and  frac- 
tional-pay-period  time. 

(2)  Number  of  accessions. 

(3)  Number  of  separations, 

a.  Number  leaving  voluntarily, 

b.  Number  laid  off, 

c.  Number  discharged. 

For  the  convenient  recording  of  the  above  items  some  such 
record-form  as  the  one  on  pages  164-165  is  suggested. 

The  information  called  for  in  Form  i  should  be  recorded 
daily.  The  daily  record  can,  of  course,  be  kept  on  the  same  form, 
if  the  column  at  the  right  be  left  blank  for  insertion  of  the  time 
unit  desired.  The  figures  should,  if  possible,  be  shown  separately 
by  plant  occupations  or  operating  departments.  The  daily 
records  for  any  division,  or  for  the  plant  as  a  whole,  can,  at  the 
end  of  the  month,  be  totaled  and  entered  on  the  monthly  record 
shown  here.  This  monthly  record,  in  turn,  can  be  totaled  and 
entered,  at  the  end  of  the  year  on  a  corresponding  form  showing 
the  annual  mobility  record  for  each  department. 

163 


i64 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


FORM  i:    LABOR 
OCCUPATION  OR 


SIZE  OF  WORK  FORCE 

(Base  for  computation  :  The  3  methods  to 
be  used  in  order  of  preference,  method 

NUMBER 

i  being  preferred) 

MONTH 

(OR  DAY,  WEEK 
OR  YEAR) 

Method  3 

Methods 

Method  i 

Leaving  Employ 

Average 

Average 

Total  number 

Hired 

number  of 
employees 
on 

daily 
number 
actually 

of  labor  hours 
put  in  by  all 
employees 

(Acces- 
sions) 

Dis- 
charged 

Laid 
off 

pay  roll 

at  work 

during  year 

January 
February 

March   . 

April 

May       . 

June 

July      . 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

Year    .... 

The  figures  for  "size  of  work  force"  are  of  prime  importance, 
but,  except  for  ordinary  pay-roll  data,  they  are  kept  by  very  few 
employers  —  and  even  when  such  figures  are  kept  they  are 
not  usually  put  in  the  same  record  with  data  on  number  of 
employees  entering  and  leaving,  with  the  result  that  it  is  very 
difficult  to  get  all  factors  upon  a  common  footing  for  purposes 
of  computation.  Method  (i)  is  believed  to  be  the  best  of  the 
three.  The  first  alternative  to  this  actual  number  of  labor  hours 
is  the  average  daily  number  actually  at  work.  These  attendance 
figures  may  be  converted  to  labor  hours  by  first  multiplying  by 
the  number  of  days  worked  and  then  by  the  number  of  hours  in 
the  regular  work-day  and,  finally,  subtracting,  from  the  resulting 
gross  number  of  labor  hours  a  number  of  hours  considered  to  be 
equivalent  to  the  time  lost  through  the  absenteeism  of  active 


EMPLOYMENT  RECORDS 


165 


MOBILITY 
DEPARTMENT: 


LABOR  CHANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

MONTH 

(Separations) 

Labor 

Separation 

(OR  DAY,  WEEK 
OR  YEAR) 

flux 

Left 
volun- 
tarily 

Total 

(Acces- 
sions 
plus  sep- 
arations) 

Acces- 
sion 

Dis- 
charge 

Lay 
off 

Volun- 
tary 
leaving 

Total 

Labor 
Flux 

January 
February 

March 

April 
May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

Year 

employees  and  the  time  not  worked  by  employees  who  failed 
to  work  the  full  pay  period.  The  second  alternative  to  actual 
labor  hours  is  the  average  number  of  employees  on  the  pay  roll. 
These  figures  may  be  converted  to  labor  hours  by  multiplying 
them  by  the  number  of  days  worked  during  the  month,  and  that 
product  in  turn  by  the  prevailing  number  of  hours  worked  per 
day  during  the  month  or  other  period  considered. 

Length-of-service  figures  are  very  important,  especially  in 
reference  to  the  employees  who  leave.  For  each  separating  em- 
ployee a  record  should  be  kept  of  the  time  of  his  continuous 
service  and  entered  monthly,  or  as  often  as  considered  desir- 
able, on  some  such  form  as  the  one  shown  on  pages  166-167. 

The  scale  of  time  periods  shown  above  is  that  used  in  the  more 
recent  of  the  two  labor  mobility  investigations  made  by  the 


i66 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


FORM  2: 
MONTH  (OR 


DEPARTMENT  OR 
OCCUPATION  GROUP 

NUMBER  OF  SEPARATING  EMPLOYEES 

i  WEEK 

OR 

LESS 

OVER 

I    TO    2 

WEEKS 

OVER 
2  WEEKS 

TO 

i  MONTH 

OVER 

I   TO  3 

MONTHS 

OVER 

3  TO  6 

MONTHS 

5 

r 

All  departments  

Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics.  Somewhat  different  classifications 
may  be  found  more  useful  for  some  concerns,  but,  whatever 
scale  is  used,  it  should  be  split  up  into  very  short  time  periods 
for  the  first  weeks  and  months  of  service  time.  The  number 
serving  less  than  one  week  should  by  all  means  be  shown  in  the 
records,  for  the  great  bulk  of  the  labor  shift  will  fall  in  these  very 
short  periods. 

The  foregoing  items  represent  the  most  important  data  neces- 
sary for  keeping  a  constant  check  on  the  extent  of  labor  mobility 
and  the  progress  being  made  in  different  departments  toward 
controlling  it.  Whatever  forms  are  used  should  be  so  flexible 
that  they  can  be  adapted  to  specialized  treatment  of  a  problem 
and  be  made  to  serve  for  any  desired  period.  It  is  recommended 
that  the  following  records  should  certainly  be  kept: 

A  daily  record  of  men  hired  and  transferred,  giving  name, 
number,  department,  job,  and  rate  of  pay.  A  record  of  all  men 


EMPLOYMENT  RECORDS 


167 


LENGTH-OF-SERVICE 
YEAR,  ETC.) 


WHO  HAD  WORKED  CONTINUOUSLY 

DEPARTMENT  OR 
OCCUPATION  GROUP 

OVER 
6  MONTHS 

TO 

i  YEAR 

OVER 

I   TO   2 

YEARS 

OVER 

2   TO   3 

YEARS 

OVER 
3  TO  5 
YEARS 

OVER 

YEARS 

TOTAL 

All  departments 

leaving,  giving  the  date  hired  and  date  leaving,  type  of  separa- 
tion, length  of  service,  either  the  actual  time  in  years,  months, 
or  days,  or  giving  it  in  definite  classified  periods.  Such  a  record 
has  the  advantage  that  it  is  possible  to  combine  the  figures  for 
any  department  for  any  job  or  for  any  desired  period. 

ABSENTEE  RECORDS 

Some  record  should  be  kept  of  absentees.  This  is  especially 
important  for  establishments  where  it  is  found  to  be  necessary 
to  compute  the  mobility  rates  on  the  basis  of  pay-roll  figures 
which  will  need  to  be  discounted  for  the  amount  of  absenteeism. 
The  form  on  pages  168-169  is  suggested  for  absentee  records. 

Absentee  records  will  fall  under  two  major  divisions:  daily 
and  monthly.  Each  of  these  must  contain  both  quantitative  and 
qualitative  information.  The  quantitative  data  show,  not  only 
the  number  of  employees  absent,  but  also  the  number  of  hours 


i68 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


lost.    Thus  an  employee  absent  forty  days  with  a  broken  leg 
should  count  as  one  case,  but  in  his  record  there  should  also  be 
shown   the   equivalent   labor  hours    involved  in    forty   days' 
absence. 
The  qualitative  data  analyze  causes  of  absenteeism.    The 

FORM  3: 
OCCUPATION  OR 


MONTH 

SIZE  OF  WORK  FORCE 

(Base  for  computation:  The  3  methods  to  be  used  in 
order  of  preference,  method  i  being  preferred) 

Method  3 

Method  2 

Method  i 

Average  number 
of  employees 
on  pay  roll 

Average  daily 
number  actually 
at  work 

Total  number  of 
labor  hours  put  in 
by  all  employees 
during  year 

January                 .... 

• 

February          

Micirch               .     .     •     .     . 

May      

Tuly                           .     .     . 

October       

December   

Year      

EMPLOYMENT  RECORDS 


169 


main  items  will  be  "laid  off,"  "reported  off"  (absences  reported 
in  advance),  "vacations,"  "occupational  injury,"  "sickness," 
"sickness  in  home,"  "death  in  home,"  "grievance,"  "unknown." 
These  may  be  classified  into  unavoidable  and  avoidable  absence, 
and  the  latter  as  to  whether  it  is  excusable  or  inexcusable. 

ABSENTEEISM 

DEPARTMENT  : 


RATE  OF  ABSENTEEISM  PER  FULL- 

YEAR  WORKER 

NUMBER  OF 
ABSENTEES 

LABOR  HOURS 
LOST  BY 

ABSENTEES 

MONTH 

ABSENTEE 

LABOR  HOURS 

CASES 

LOST 

January 
February 

March 

April 
May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

Year 

APPENDIX 
BASIC  TABLES 


172 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

TABLE 
LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER* 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL-YEAR 
WORKERS 

LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

Auto  accessories,  mfg  

BOSTON 

i 

2 

3 

4 

6 

7 
8 

9 
10 
ii 

12 
13 
14 
15 

16 
17 

960 
2,001 

1,367 
2,856 
3,825 
2,549 
i,839 
167 

212 
899 
864 

i,749 
726 

449 
3,060 
8^858 
2,750 

2,880 
6,003 
4,101 
8,568 
n,475 
7,647 
5,5i7 
5oi 
636 
2,697 
2,592 
5,247 
2,178 

i,347 
9,180 

26,574 
8,250 

2,460 
545 
i,737 
3,284 
4,749 
648 
824 
109 
490 
880 

477 
1,285 
370 
99 
354 
i,i45 
603 

Railroad  shops  

Rubber  wearing  apparel,  mfg.  l  .  . 
Rubber  footwear  and  auto  tires  .  . 
Shoes,  mfg.  . 

Shoe  machinery,  mfg. 

Department  Store  2  
Steam  gauges  and  valves,  mfg.  1  .  . 
Plumbing  tools,  mfg.  x  . 

Brass  valves  and  fittings,  mfg.1     .      . 
Paper  prod's  and  roofing  material,  mfg. 
Paper  boxes  and  shipping  tags,  etc.1  . 
Color  printing,  etc. 

Book  mfg  

Public  utilities:  Street  railways     .     . 
Elevated  railways     . 
Telephone  service  3    . 

Total       

[i7l 

35,i3i 

105,393 

20,059 

Chewing  gum,  mfg. 

CHICAGO 

18 
19 

20  (105) 

21  (106) 

22 

23 
24 
25  (102) 
26  (113) 

27 
28(lI7) 

29 
30(HS) 
31 
32 

34  (126) 

273 
277 
4,377 
6,592 
1,904 
761 

503 
9,661 

243 
9,430 
544 
4,3o6 
415 
3,758 
11,049 
12,519 
5,522 

819 
831 
13,131 
19,776 
5,7i2 
2,283 

1,509 
28,983 

729 
28,290 
1,632 
12,918 

i,245 
11,274 

33,147 
37,557 
16,566 

341 

148 
i,546 
1,946 
289 
397 
562 

I3,5i3 
168 
8,834 
686 

517 
616 
2,038 
20,095 

8,117 
16,486 

Shoe  bottoms,  mfg. 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg.  .  . 
Agricultural  implements,  mfg.  .  . 
Agricultural  implements,  mfg.  .  . 
Agricultural  implements,  mfg.  .  . 
Elevating  machinery,  mfg.  *  .  .  . 
Car  works  4  

Structural  steel  fabricating  .  .  . 
Mail  order  house  . 

Electrical  supplies,  mfg. 

Valves  and  fittings,  mfg.  . 

Iron  wheels  and  castings,  mfg.  6  .  . 
Steel  products,  mfg  

Telephone  apparatus,  mfg.  J  .  .  . 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing  5  .  . 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing  l  .  . 

Total       

[17] 

72,134 

216,402 

76,299 

**  Notes  to  this  table  will 


APPENDIX 


A** 

ESTABLISHMENTS,  1913-14  AND  1917-18 

14° 


LABOR  CHANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

SEPARA- 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

FLUX 

TIONS 

SION 

TION 

BOSTON 

i,39i 

3,851 

2-55 

1.44 

3-99 

Auto  accessories,  mfg. 

648 

1,193 

.27 

•33 

.60 

Railroad  shops 

1,972 

3,709 

1.26 

1.44 

2.70 

Rubber  wearing  apparel,  mfg.1 

2,801 

6,085 

1.14 

.99 

2.13 

Rubber  footwear  and  auto  tires 

5,046 

9,795 

1.23 

1.32 

2-55 

Shoes,  mfg. 

1,425 

2,073 

.24 

•57 

.81 

Shoe  machinery,  mfg. 

842 
130 

1,666 
239 

•45 
.60 

4 

.90 
1.38 

Department  Store  2 
Steam  gauges  and  valves,  mfg.1 

427 

917 

2.31 

2.01 

4-32 

Plumbing  tools,  mfg.  l 

951 

1,831 

•99 

1.05 

2.04 

Brass  valves  &  fittings,  mfg.1 

505 
1,009 

373 

982 
2,294 
743 

•54 
•72 
•5i 

•57 
•57 
•Si 

i.  ii 
1.29 
i.  02 

Pap'r  prod.  &  roof'g  mat.,  mfg. 
Pap'r  box's  &  ship'g  tags,  etc.1 
Color  printing,  etc. 

150 

249 

.21 

•33 

•54 

Book  mfg. 

412 

766 

.12 

.12 

.24 

Public  utilities:  Street  railw's 

1,164 

2,309 

.12 

.12 

.24 

Elev.  railw's 

466 

1,069 

.21 

.18 

•39 

Tel.  service  » 

19,712 

39,77i 

•57 

•57 

1.14 

Total 

CHICAGO 

329 

670 

1.26 

i.  20 

2.46 

Chewing  gum,  mfg. 

206 

354 

•54 

•75 

1.29 

Shoe  bottoms,  mfg. 

2,808 
4,H5 

4,354 
6,06  1 

•36 
•30 

•63 
•63 

•99 
•93 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 
Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 

992 

1,281 

•IS 

•Si 

.66 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 

778 

i,i75 

•5i 

1.02 

i-53 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 

483 

i,045 

i.  ii 

.96 

2.07 

Elevating  machinery,  mfg.  * 

20,504 

34,oi7 

1.41 

2.13 

3-54 

Car  works  4 

212 

380 

.69 

•87 

1.56 

Structural  steel  fabricating 

8,627 

17,461 

•93 

.90 

1.83 

Mail  order  house 

700 

1,386 

1.26 

1.29 

2-55 

Electrical  supplies,  mfg. 

888 

1,405 

.12 

.21 

•33 

Valves  and  fittings,  mfg. 

606 

1,222 

1.47 

1.47 

2.94 

Iron  wheels  and  castings,  mfg.5 

3,°55 

5,093 

•54 

.81 

i-35 

Steel  products,  mfg. 

16,163 
8,096 
15,146 

36,258 
16,213 
31,632 

1.83 
•65 
3.00 

1.47 
•65 
2-73 

3-30 
1.30 
5-73 

Telephone  apparatus,  mfg.  l 
Slaughtering  and  meat  pack'g  8 
Slaughtering  and  meat  pack'g  l 

83,708 

l6o,OO7 

i.  06 

1.16 

2.22 

Total 

be  found  on  pages  188-189. 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 
LABOR  MOBILITY  IN  INDIVIDUAL 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  or  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER* 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL-  YEAR 
WORKERS 

LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

Machine  tools,  mfg.  l    
Machine  tools  mfg  6 

CINCINNATI 

35  (i44) 
36  (141) 
37  (146) 

476 
624 
656 

1,428 
1,872 
1,968 

67i 
1,282 

221 

Engineering  specialties,  mfg.  .     .     . 
Total       

[3] 

1,756 

5,268 

2,174 

Clothing  mfg  
Clothing,  men's,  mfg  

CLEVELAND 

38 

40  (172) 
t,J(i78) 
t4Il(i84) 
42  (192) 

1,020 

783 

33S 

|        1,247 
I,III 

3,060 

2,349 
1,005 

3,741 
3,333 

320 

296 
431 

1,181 
1,609 

Machine  tools,  mfg  

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg.  5      .     .     .     . 
Machine  tools,  mfg.  8 

Total  

[Si 

4,496 

13,488 

3,837 

Aluminum  and  brass  foundry       .     . 
Motor  car,  mfg.  1 

DETROIT 

43 
44 
45 
46 
47  (205) 
48  (194) 
49 
50  (198) 
51  (200) 
52 

54  (207) 
55 
56 

397 
2,146 

715 
239 
3,no 
10,904 

73i 
897 
4,028 
287 
4,484 
1,004 
1,887 
650 

1,191 
6,438 
2,145 
717 
9,330 
32,712 

2,193 
2,691 
12,084 
86  1 
13,452 
3,012 
5,661 
i,95o 

2,389 
4,724 
2,405 
562 
8,695 
5,071 
i,  006 

1,365 
4,120 

1,737 
10,033 
1,827 
912 
9i 

Motor  car,  gasoline,  mfg  
Transmissions  and  gears,  mfg.      .     . 
Motor  car,  mfg.      ...... 

Motor  car,  mfg  

Motor  car,  mfg  

Motor  car,  mfg  

Motor  car,  mfg  

Motor  car,  mfg  

Motor  car,  mfg.       

Automobile  parts,  mfg  

Adding  machine  mfg 

Public  utilities:  Gas  mfg  
Total                       .... 

[14] 

3i,479 

94,437 

44,937 

APPENDIX 


175 


A  —  Continued 

ESTABLISHMENTS,  1913-14  AND  1917-18 
14° 


LABOR  CHANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

SEPARA- 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

FLUX 

TIONS 

SION 

TION 

CINCINNATI 

Machine  tools,  mfg.  * 

748 

1,419 

1.41 

1.56 

2.97 

970 
283 

2,252 
504 

2.04 
•34 

1.56 
•43 

3-60 
•77 

Machine  tools,  mfg.  * 
Engineering  specialties,  mfg. 

2,001 

4,175 

1.23 

1.14 

2-37 

Total 

CLEVELAND 

454 

774 

•30 

•45 

•75 

Clothing  mfg. 

430 
270 

726 
701 

•39 
1.29 

* 

•93 

2.IO 

Clothing,  men's,  mfg. 
Machine  tools,  mfg. 

876 

2,057 

.96 

.69 

1.65 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg.  5 

1,825 

3,434 

1.44 

1.65 

3-09 

Machine  tools,  mfg.  • 

3,855 

7,692 

.84 

.87 

1.71 

Total 

DETROIT 

2,145 

4,534 

6.03 

5.40 

"•43 

Aluminum  and  brass  foundry 

5,255 

9,979 

2.19 

2.46 

4-65 

Motor  car,  mfg.  l 

1,709 

4,114 

3-36 

2.40 

5-76 

Motor  car,  gasoline,  mfg. 

532 

1,094 

2-34 

2.22 

4.56 

Transmissions  and  gears,  mfg. 

8,629 

17,324 

2.79 

2.76 

5-55 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

6,508 

n,579 

.48 

.60 

i.  08 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

1,101 

2,107 

1.38 

1.50 

2.88 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

1,411 

2,776 

1.56 

3-09 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

2,895 

7,oi5 

1.02 

.72 

1.74 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

3,087 

6.06 

4.71 

10.77 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

13,256 
1,918 
1,583 

202 

23,289 
3,745 
2,495 
293 

2.25 
1.83 
•48 
•15 

2.97 
1.92 
.84 
•30 

5-22 
3-75 
1.32 
•45 

Motor  car,  mfg. 
Automobile  parts,  mfg. 
Adding  machine,  mfg. 
Public  utilities:  Gas  mfg. 

48,494 

93,43i 

1.44 

1-53 

2-97 

Total 

i76 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF   BUSINESS 


Excavating  machinery,  mfg. 
Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 


Total 


Crackers  and  biscuits,  baking 
Cotton  specialties,  mfg.      .     .     . 

Printing  presses,  mfg.  .     . 
Mail  order  house     ..... 

Life  insurance  6  ...... 

Locks  and  hardware,  mfg.  l     .     . 
Paper  products,  mfg.    .     .     .     . 

Public  utilities:  Street  railways  6  . 
Telephone  service 


Total 


Rubber  goods,  mfg. 7    .     .  (Ohio) 

Rubber  tires,  mfg. 6      .     .  (Ohio) 

Sheet-metal  ware,  mfg. 6    .  (N  Y.) 

Elevating  machine,  mfg.    .  (Ohio) 

Lighting  apparatus,  mfg.   .  (Ohio) 

Cash  registers,  mfg.      .     .  Ohio) 

Silk,  mfg Conn.) 

Insurance Conn.) 

Typewriters,  mfg.    .     .     .      Conn.) 

Cotton  and  worsted,  mfg.  .  (N.  H.) 

Automobile  mfg.      .      .      .  (Mich.) 
Agricultural  implement  mfg.6  (111.) 

Hat  mfg (Pa.) 

Electrical  apparatus,  mfg.  x  (Pa.) 

Bleaching  and  dyeing  .     .  (R.  I.) 

Machine  tool  mfg. 8      .     .  (R.  I.) 

Electrical  apparatus,  mfg.  (N.  Y.) 

Total 


ESTABLISH- 

NUMBER 

OF 

LABOR 
HOURS 

MENT 
NUMBER* 

FULL-  YEAR 
WORKERS 

(THOU- 
SANDS) 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

MILWAUKEE 

57 

955 

2,865 

419 

58  (257) 

642 

1,926 

361 

[2] 

i,597 

4,791 

780 

NEW  YORK 

59 

i,  in 

3,333 

2,032 

60 

785 

2,355 

1,177 

61 

1,438 

4,3i4 

i,479 

62 

624 

1,872 

1,071 

63 

3,679 

11,037 

780 

64 

3,596 

10,788 

3,943 

65 

i,778 

5,334 

1,620 

66 

3,622 

10,866 

2,595 

67 

19,051 

57,153 

7,862 

[Q] 

35,684 

107,052 

22,659 

OTHER  CITIES 

68 

5,246 

15,738 

11,676 

69 

639 

i,oi7 

903 

70 

564 

1,692 

1,149 

71 

1,632 

4,896 

968 

72 

1,087 

3,261 

I,I2O 

73 

5,034 

15,102 

i,749 

74 

3,967 

11,901 

1,260 

75 

971 

2,913 

394 

76 

2,894 

8,682 

885 

77 

i3,79i 

4i,373 

u,75i 

78 

477 

i,43i 

3,625 

79 

517 

i,55i 

1,059 

80 

4,496 

13,488 

811 

81 

10,665 

31,995 

12,429 

82 

i,5i6 

4,548 

1,074 

83 

4,323 

12,969 

4,087 

84 

13,064 

39,192 

1,323 

[i7l 

70,883 

212,649 

56,263 

APPENDIX 


177 


A  —  Continued 

INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS 

14° 


LABOR  CHANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUS'TNESS 

SEPARA- 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

FLUX 

TIONS 

SION 

TION 

MILWAUKEE 

563 

982 

•45 

.60 

1.05 

Excavating  machinery,  mfg. 

665 

1,026 

•57 

1.05 

1.62 

Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 

1,228 

2,008 

.48 

.78 

1.26 

Total 

NEW  YORK 

i,39S 

3,427 

1.83 

1.26 

3-09 

Crackers  and  biscuits,  baking 

1,055 
1,217 

2,332 
2,696 

1.62 

1.02 

i.35 
.84 

2.97 
1.86 

Cotton  specialties,  mfg. 
Printing  presses,  mfg. 

936 

2,007 

I.7I 

1.50 

3-21 

Mail  order  house 

266 

1,046 

.21 

.06 

.27 

Life  insurance  5 

3,363 

7,3o6 

I.  II 

•93 

2.04 

Locks  and  hardware,  mfg.  l 

1,642 
2,770 

3,262 
5,365 

.90 
.72 

•93 
•75 

1.83 
1.47 

Paper  products,  mfg. 
Public  utilities:  Street  railw's5 

10,320 

18,182 

42 

•54 

.96 

Tel.  service 

22,964 

45,623 

.63 

.63 

1.26 

Total 

OTHER  CITIES 

8,070 

19,746 

2.22 

1-53 

3-75 

Rubber  goods,  mfg.  7    (Ohio) 

1,028 

i,93i 

I.4I 

1.62 

3-03 

Rubber  tires,  mfg.  6      (Ohio) 

1,072 

2,221 

2.04 

1.89 

3-93 

Sheet-metal  ware,mfg.6(N.  Y.) 

919 

1,887 

.60 

•57 

1.17 

Elevating  mach.,  mfg.  (Ohio) 

1,063 

2,l83 

I.  O2 

•99 

2.OI 

Lighting  appar.,  mfg.    (Ohio) 

3,451 

5,200 

.36 

.69 

1.05 

Cash  registers,  mfg.      (Ohio) 

1,152 

2,412 

•33 

•30 

•63 

Silk,  mfg.                       (Conn.) 

293 

687 

.42 

•30 

.72 

Insurance                       (Conn.) 

948 

1,833 

•3° 

•33 

.63 

Typewriters,  mfg.          (Conn.) 

12,300 

24,051 

.84 

.90 

1.74 

Cotton  &  worsted,mfg.  (N.  H  ) 

3,424 

7,049 

7-59 

7.20 

14.79 

Automobile  mfg.           (Mich.) 

847 

1,906 

2.04 

1.65 

3-69 

Agricul.  impl.  mfg.  6      (111.) 

1,101 

1,912 

.18 

.42 

Hat  mfg.                        (Pa.) 

16,748 

29,177 

1.17 

1.56 

2-73 

Elec.  apparatus,  mfg.1  (Pa.) 

1,300 

2,374 

.72 

.87 

i-59 

Bleaching  and  dyeing   (R.  I.) 

3,275 

7,362 

.96 

•75 

1.71 

Machine  tool  mfg.  8      (R.  I.) 

4,754 

6,077 

.09 

•36 

•45 

Elec.  apparatus,  mfg.    (N.  Y.) 

6i,745 

118,008 

.78 

•87 

1.65 

Total 

i78 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN 
1917- 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER* 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL-  YEAR 
WORKERS 

LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

Motors  and  railway  supplies,  mfg.9   . 
Car  works     . 

CHICAGO*1 

101 
102  (25) 
I03 
104 
105  (20) 

106  (21) 
107 
108 
109 
no 
in 

112 

"3  (26) 
114 
ii  S  (30) 
116 
H7  (28) 
118 
119 
1  20 

121 
122 
123 
124 
125 
126  (34) 
127 
128 

1,954 
7,287 
6,027 
764 
4,211 

5,759 
611 

335 
I4,73i 
1,042 
2,031 
5,092 
402 
283 
390 
667 
733 
95° 
520 
1,099 
258 
4,728 
4,725 
13,604 
3,909 
8,730 
14,320 

5,219 

5,862 
21,861 
18,081 
2,292 

12,633 
17,277 

i,833 
1,005 

44,193 
3,126 
6,093 
15,276 
1,206 
849 
1,170 
2,001 
2,199 
2,850 
1,560 
3,297 
774 
14,184 
14,175 
40,812 
11,727 
26,190 
42,960 
15,657 

4,46o 
18,837 
5,731 
Sio 
2,865 
5,486 
782 
880 
13,792 
1,358 
3,485 
12,283 
446 
590 
1,208 

1,879 
2,105 
2,867 
1,703 
4,837 
944 
5,193 
6,527 
9,524 
3,201 
19,050 
32,374 
20,014 

Clothing,  men's,  mfg. 

Printing  presses,  mfg. 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg.      .     . 
Agricultural  implements,  mfg.      .     . 
Machinery  (coal  mining),  mfg.     .     . 
Machinery  (specialties),  mfg.        .     . 
Mail  order  house     .... 

Mail  order  house     

Mail  order  house     

Mail  order  house     

Structural  steel  fabricating  10  .     .     . 
Brass  and  metal  specialties,  mfg. 
Iron  wheels  and  castings,  mfg.10  .     . 
Office  appliances,  mfg.9      .... 
Electrical  supplies,  mfg  
Iron  castings,  mfg. 

Screw  machine  products,  mfg.  u  .     . 
Steel  forgings  12  . 

Electrical  supplies,  mfg 

Public  utilities:  Electricity      .     .     . 
Gas  mfg  
Telephone  service 
Street  railways  13 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing    .     . 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing    .     . 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing  10 

Total        

[28] 

110,381 

331,143 

182,931 

Soap,  glycerine,  etc  
Ink  mfg. 

CINCINNATI6 

129 
130 

131 

132 

133 
134 
135 
136 

i,953 
708 
400 
234 
330 
275 
467 
no 

5,859 
2,124 

1,200 
702 
990 
825 
1,401 
330 

4,046 
2,062 
1,924 
187 
354 
675 
728 

304 

Soap,  glycerine,  etc  
Clothing,  women's,  mfg  

Textiles  (cotton),  mfg  
Mill  work  (building  material) 
Leather  goods  mfg 

Rubber  goods,  mfg       

APPENDIX 


179 


A  —  Continued 

INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS 
18° 


LABOR  CHANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

SEPARA- 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

FLUX 

TIONS 

SION 

TION 

CHICAGO  a 

3,996 
20,642 

8,456 
39,479 

2.28 
2.58 

2.04 
2.82 

4-32 
5-40 

Motors  and  ry.  supplies,  mfg.8 
Car  works 

7,240 

12,971 

.96 

1.20 

2.16 

Clothing,  men's,  mfg. 

471 

981 

.66 

.63 

1.29 

Printing  presses,  mfg. 

2,962 

5,827 

.69 

.69 

1.38 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 

4,729 

10,215 

.96 

.81 

1.77 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 

764 

i)546 

1.29 

1.26 

2-55 

Machinery  (coal  mining),  mfg. 

967 

1,847 

2.64 

2.88 

5-52 

Machinery  (specialties),  mfg. 

15,784 

29,576 

•93 

i.  08 

2.OI 

Mail  order  house 

1,332 

2,690 

1.29 

1.29 

2.58 

Mail  order  house 

3,332 

6,817 

1.71 

1.65 

3.36 

Mail  order  house 

12,333 

24,616 

2.40 

2.43 

4.83 

Mail  order  house 

370 

816 

i.  ii 

•93 

2.O4 

Structural  steel  fabricating  10 

536 

1,126 

2.IO 

1.89 

3-99 

Brass  and  metal  spec'l's,  mfg. 

858 

2,066 

3-09 

2.19 

5-28 

Iron  wheels  and  castings,  mfg.10 

1,712 

3,59i 

2.82 

2.58 

5-40 

Office  appliances,  mfg.9 

1,965 

4,070 

2.88 

2.67 

5-55 

Electrical  supplies,  mfg. 

2,767 

5,634 

3-03 

2.91 

5-94 

Iron  castings,  mfg. 

i,  68  1 

3,384 

3-27 

3-24 

6.51 

Screw  machine  products,  mfg.11 

2,734 

7,57i 

4.41 

2.49 

6.90 

Steel  forgings  12 

868 

1,812 

3-66 

3.36 

7.02 

Electrical  supplies,  mfg. 

6,234 

11,427 

i.  ii 

1.32 

2-43 

Public  utilities:   Electricity 

6,300 

12,827 

1.38 

1.32 

2.70 

Gas  mfg. 

11,454 

20,978 

.69 

.84 

i-53 

Tel.  service 

3,809 

7,010 

.81 

.96 

1.77 

Street  rys.13 

16,062 

2.19 

1.83 

4.02 

Slaughtering  &  meat  pack'g. 

27,890 
17,418 

60,264 
37,432 

2.25 
3-84 

1-95 
3-33 

4.20 
7.17 

Slaughtering  &  meat  pack'g. 
Slaughtering  &  meat  pack'g.  lo 

177,210 

360,141 

1.65 

1.62 

3-27 

Total 

CINCINNATI  * 

3,270 

7,3i6 

2.07 

1.68 

3-75 

Soap,  glycerine,  etc. 

1,658 

3»7*> 

2.91 

2.34 

5-25 

Ink  mfg. 

1,834 

3,758 

4.80 

9-39 

Soap,  glycerine,  etc. 

1  80 

367 

.81 

.78 

i-59 

Clothing,  women's,  mfg. 

369 

723 

i.  08 

i.  ii 

2.19 

Textiles  (cotton),  mfg. 

70S 

1,380 

2.46 

2-55 

5-oi 

Mill  work  (building  material) 

886 

1,614 

1.56 

1.89 

3-45 

Rubber  goods,  mfg  . 

300 

604 

2.76 

2-73 

5-49 

Leather  goods,  mfg  . 

i8o 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

TABLE 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN 
1917- 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER* 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL-  YEAR 
WORKERS 

LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

Machine  tools,  mfg  

CINCINNATI  »  — 

137 
138 
139 
140 
141  (36) 
142 

143 
144  (35) 
145 
146  (37) 
147 
148 
149 
150 
151 
152 
153 
154 
155 

127 
602 
669 
407 
883 
602 

1,443 
1,194 
310 
1,150 
418 
440 
529 
244 
767 
617 
721 
1,769 
i,330 

38i 
1,  806 
2,007 

1,221 
2,649 
1,  806 
4,329 
3,582 
930 
3,450 
1,254 
1,320 

1,587 
732 
2,301 
1,851 
2,163 
5,307 
3,990 

103 
622 

847 
502 

1,363 

1,020 

2,444 
2,146 
786 
2,030 
1,051 
1,138 
1,850 
82 
667 

2,212 
361 

777 
636 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

Machinery  (specialties),  mfg.  .  . 
Machinery  mfg. 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

Electrical  machinery,  mfg. 
Machine  tools,  mfg. 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

Engineering  specialties,  mfg.  .  .  . 
Office  appliances 

Foundry  (stoves  and  furnaces),  mfg.  . 
Tin  can  mfg.  ... 

Printing  and  publishing  (books)   .     . 
Printing  and  publishing  (misc.)    .     . 
Printing  and  publishing  (etc.)       .     . 
Public  utilities:  Gas  and  electric  .     . 
Telephone  service 
Street  railways  14 

Total       

[27] 

18,699 

56,097 

30,917 

Automobile  and  motor  truck  mfg.16  . 
Automobile  and  motor  truck  mfg.     . 
Automobile  and  motor  truck  mfg. 
Street  railway  cars,  mfg  
Tractors,  mfg.16       .... 

CLEVELAND" 

156  d 
157 
158 
159 
160 
161 
162 
163 
164 

165 
1  66 
167' 
168 
169 
170 
171 
172  (40) 
173 
174 
175 

4,456 
i,4i7 
2,173 
344 
384 
5i8 
770 
267 
1,987 
105 
1,610 

i,43i 
1,004 

i,5i4 
2,430 
984 
1,263 
940 
98 
870 

13,368 
4,251 
6,519 
1,032 

1,152 

i,554 
2,310 
801 
5,961 
3i5 
4,830 
4,293 
3,012 

4,542 
7,290 
2,952 
3,789 
2,820 

294 
2,610 

3,552 
2,643 
5,179 
1,016 
1,746 
2,280 
4,484 
568 
6,075 
324 
6,036 
1,611 
3,378 
3,4io 
3,5io 

i,575 
3,520 
2,691 
280 
3,548 

Auto,  parts,  mfg.17  

Auto,  frames,  steel  stampings,  mfg.18 
Paint  and  varnish  mfg  
Storage  batteries,  mfg  
Paint  and  varnish  mfg 

Storage  batteries,  carbon  products,11  . 
Clothing,  women's  mfg 

Bags  (paper  and  cloth),  mfg.  .     .     . 
Woodw'k,  sewing  machine  cabinets  19 
Automatic  screw  machinery,  mfg. 
Machinery  (heavy),  mfg.  .    .  .     .     . 
Machine  tools,  mfg  
Machinery  (heavy),  mfg  
Molding  machinery,  mfg.20      .     .     . 
Motors,  mfg.21               

APPENDIX 


181 


A  —  Continued 

INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS 
18° 


LABOR  CH 

ANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER 

FULL-  YEAR 

WORKER 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  or  BUSINESS 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 
SION 

SEPARA- 
TION 

FLUX 

Continued 

73 

176 

.81 

•57 

1.38 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

592 

1,214 

.02 

.99 

2.OI 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

860 

1,707 

.26 

1.29 

2-55 

Machinery  (specialties),  mfg. 

567 

1,069 

•23 

1.38 

2.61 

Machinery  mfg. 

1,166 

2,529 

•53 

1.32 

2.85 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

980 

2,000 

.68 

1.62 

3-30 

Machine  tools,  mfg 

2,396 

4,840 

.68 

1.65 

3-33 

Electrical  machinery,  mfg. 

1,982 

4,128 

1.80 

1.65 

3-45 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

815 

1,601 

2-55 

2.64 

5-19 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

1,989 
903 

4,019 
i,954 

1.77 
2.52 

i.74 
2.16 

3-51 
4.68 

Engineering  specialties,  mfg. 
Office  appliances 

1,109 

2,247 

2.58 

2.52 

5-10 

F'dry  (stoves  and  f  urn's),  mfg. 

1,969 
119 

3,8i9 

2OI 

3-5i 
•33 

3.72 

.48 

6.23 
.81 

Tin  can  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing  (books) 

811 

1,478 

.87 

1.05 

1.92 

Printing  and  publishing  (misc.) 

2,228 

4,440 

3-6o 

3.60 

7.20 

Printing  and  publishing  (etc.) 

382 

743 

•Si 

•54 

1.05 

Public  utilities:  Gas  and  elec. 

1,491 

•45 

•39 

.84 

Tel.  service 

847 

1,483 

.48 

.63 

i.  ii 

Street  rys.14 

29,704 

60,621 

1.65 

i.59 

3-24 

Total 

( 

CLEVELAND  e 

2,878 

6,430 

.81 

.63 

1.44 

Auto,  and  motor  truck  mfg.16 

2,923 

5,566 

i!86 

2.07 

3-93 

Auto,  and  motor  truck  mfg. 

6,289 

11,468 

2.37 

2.88 

5-25 

Auto,  and  motor  truck  mfg. 

1,038 

2,054 

2.94 

3.03 

5-97 

Street  railway  cars,  mfg. 

3,286 

4.56 

4.02 

8.58 

Tractors,  mfg.16 

2^332 

4,612 

4.41 

4-50 

8.91 

Auto,  parts,  mfg.17 

4,152 

8,636 

5.82 

540 

11.22 

Auto,  frames,  steel  stampings18 

548 

1,116 

2.13 

2.04 

4.17 

Paint  and  varnish  mfg. 

5,589 

11,664 

3.06 

2.82 

5-88 

Storage  batteries,  mfg. 

376 

700 

3-09 

3-57 

6.66 

Paint  and  varnish  mfg. 

5,789 

11,825 

3.75 

3.60 

7-35 

Storage  batteries,  carbon  u 

1,129 

2,740 

1.14 

.78 

1.92 

Clothing,  women's,  mfg. 

3,698 

7,076 

3.36 

3.69 

7-05 

Bags  (paper  and  cloth),  mfg. 

4,566 
3,037 

7,976 
6,547 

2.25 

1.44 

5-28 
2.70 

Woodw'k,  sewing  cabinets  19 
Automatic  screw-mach'ry,mfg. 

i,338 

2,913 

1.59 

1-35 

2.94 

Machinery  (heavy),  mfg. 

2,556 

6,076 

2.79 

2.01 

4.80 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

2,393 

5,084 

2.85 

2.55 

5-40 

Machinery  (heavy),  mfg. 

278 

558 

2.85 

2.85 

5-70 

Molding  machinery,  mfg.20 

3,234 

6,782 

4.08 

3.72 

7.80 

Motors,  mfg.21 

182 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN 
1917- 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
.    MENT 

NUMBER  * 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL-  YEAR 
WORKERS 

LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg  

CLEVELAND  e  — 

176 
177 
178  (41) 
179 
180 
181 
182  (42) 
183 
184  (41) 
185 
1  86 
187 
1  88 
189 
190 
191 
192 
193 

917 
3,124 
699 
590 
393 
1,031 
1,649 

937 
709 
2,712 

2,222 

163 
149 

304 

753 

IO2 

1,368 
1,267 

2,751 
9,372 
2,097 
1,770 
1,179 
3,093 
4,947 
2,811 
2,127 
8,136 
6,666 
489 
447 
912 

2,259 
306 
4,104 
3,801 

1,286 
5,004 
i,5io 
1,281 
941 
2,887 
5,n8 
3,077 
2,392 
9,3i3 
14,734 
225 
247 
219 
674 
132 
2,328 

2,200 

Steel  works  a      

Sewing  machines,  mfg  
Electrical  appliances,  mfg.       .     .      . 
Steel  works 

Oil  stoves,  mfg  
Malleable  iron  castings      .... 
Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg. 

Forgings        . 
Steel  works  10                ... 

Printing  and  publishing  (book  and  job) 
Printing  and  publishing  (job) 
Public  utilities  :  Gas  (clerical  force)    . 
Gas  mfg  
Tel.  serv.  (cler.  force) 
Tel.  serv.  (op.  force) 
Tel.  serv.  (pl'nt  dept.) 

Total            .... 

[38] 

43,654 

130,962 

110,994 

Automobile  mfg.23   

DETROIT 

194  (48) 

195 
196 
197 
198  (50) 
199 

200  (5l) 
201 
202 
203 
204 
205  (47) 
206 
207  (54) 
208 
209 
2IO 

31,950 

783 

6,337 
850 
2,504 
224 
9,869 
86 

1,944 
114 

135 
11,125 

2,574 
3,379 
416 

121 
314 

95,850 
2,349 
19,011 
2,550 
7,512 
672 
29,607 
258 
5,832 
342 
405 
33,375 
7,722 
10,137 
1,248 

363 
942 

14,924 
1,629 
16,696 
2,427 
7,683 
800 

34,779 
301 
7,332 
433 
477 
4i,i74 
n,578 
15,296 
1,614 
606 
i,574 

Automobile  parts,  mfg  

Automobile  mfg  

Automobile  parts,  mfg.24    .... 

Automobile  parts,  mfg  

Automobile  parts  mfg 

Automobile  mfg                        . 

Automobile  parts,  mfg  
Automobile  mfg 

Automobile  mfg.23               .... 

Automobile  parts,  mfg  ^    .     .     .     . 

Automobile  parts,  mfg  

Automobile  mfg.16   

Automobile  mfg  
Automobile  parts  mfg  *' 

APPENDIX 


183 


A  —  Continued 

INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS 
18° 


LABOR  CHANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER  FULL-  YEAR  WORKER 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  or  BUSINESS 

SEPARA- 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

FLUX 

TIONS 

SION 

TION 

Continued 

1,386 

2,672 

1.41 

1.50 

2.91 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg. 

4,956 

9,960 

1-59 

1-59 

3-18 

Steel  works  ^ 

1,520 

3,030 

2.16 

2.16 

4-32 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg. 

1,290 
776 

2,571 
1,717 

2.16 
2.40 

2.IQ 
1.98 

4-35 
4-38 

Sewing  machines,  mifg. 
Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 

2,841 

5,728 

2.79 

2.76 

5-55 

Steel  works 

5,081 

10,199 

3-09 

3.09 

6.18 

Oil  stoves,  mfg. 

3,o9i 

6,168 

3-27 

3.30 

6-57 

Malleable  iron  castings 

2,334 

4,726 

3.36 

3-30 

6.66 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg. 

9,630 
13,050 

18,943 
27,784 

3-42 
6.63 

£8 

6.96 
12.51 

Forgings 
Steel  works  10 

265 

490 

1.38 

1.62 

3.00 

Prin'g  &  pub'sh'g  (book  &  job) 

232 
158 

479 
377 

1.65 

•72 

1.56 
.51 

3-21 
1.23 

Printing  and  publishing  (job) 
Pub.  utilities:  Gas  (cler.  force) 

573 

1,247 

.90 

.75 

1.65 

Gas  mfg. 

140 

272 

1.29 

1.38 

2.67 

Tel.serv.(cl.f'rc) 

2,262 
2,889 

4,590 
5,089 

1.71 
1.74 

a 

3.36 
4.02 

Tel.serv.(op.f'e) 
Tel.serv.(pl'td't) 

108,157 

219,151 

2-55 

2.49 

5-04 

Total 

DETROIT 

14,631 

29,555 

.48 

45 

•93 

Automobile  mfg.23 

2,123 

3,752 

2.07 

2.70 

4-77 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

17,048 

33,744 

2.64 

2.70 

5-34 

Automobile  mfg. 

2,267 

4,694 

2.85 

2.67 

5-52 

Automobile  parts,  mfg.24 

6,861 

14,544 

3-06 

2.73 

5-79 

Automobile  mfg. 

670 

1,470 

3-57 

3.00 

6.57 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

30,191 

64,970 

3-5i 

3-06 

6-57 

Automobile  mfg. 

298 

599 

3-5i 

348 

6.99 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

6,787 

14,119 

3.78 

348 

7.26 

Automobile  mfg. 

423 

856 

3-8i 

372 

7-53 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

537 

1,014 

3-54 

3-99 

7-53 

Automobile  mfg. 

45,8o8 

86,982 

3-69 

4.11 

7.80 

Automobile  mfg.23 

9,120 

20,698 

4-50 

3-54 

8.04 

Automobile  parts,  mfg.25 

15,130 

30,426 

4-53 

447 

9.00 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

i,744 

3,358 

3-87 

4.20 

8.07 

Automobile  mfg.18 

613 

1,219 

5.01 

5-07 

10.08 

Automobile  mfg. 

i,  680 

3,254 

S-oi 

5-34 

10.35 

Automobile  parts,  mfg.18 

i84 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN 
1917- 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 


ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER* 


NUMBER 

OF 

PULL-YEAR 
WORKERS 


LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 


ACCES- 
SIONS 


Automobile  parts,  mfg  .....  211 

Automobile  parts,  mfg.18    .      .     .     .  212 

Coke  and  chemicals,  mfg.9       .      .      .  213 

Chemicals  and  drugs,  mfg.9     .     .     .  214 

Paints,  mfg.26     .......  215 

Clothing  and  overalls,  mfg.     .     .     .  216 

Furniture  mfg  ........  217 

Machine  tools,  mfg  ......  218 

Machine  tools,  mfg.27    .....  219 

Steam  engine,  etc.,  mfg  .....  220 

Iron  and  steel  (small  parts),  mfg.       .  221 

Heating  devices,  mfg  ......  222 

Iron  and  steel  castings,  mfg.    .      .     .  223 

Electrical  appliances,  mfg.       .     .     .  224 

Steel  forgings     .......  225 

Heating  devices,  mfg.9       ....  226 

Steel  castings     .......  227 

Structural  steel,  mfg  ......  228 

Electrical  appliances,  mfg.       .      .      .  229 

Steel  forging       .......  230 

Screw-machine  products,  mfg.      .     .  231 

Screw-machine  products,  mfg.      .      .  232 

Machine  appurt  nances,  mfg.28     .     .  233 

Machine  appurtenances,  mfg.18    .     .  234 
Public  utilities: 

Gas  mfg  ........  235 

Telephone  service  (Comm.  dept).  236 

Telephone  service  (Clerical  force)  237 

Telephone  service  (Installation)    .  238 

Telephone  service  (Traffic  dept.)  239 

Telephone  service  (Construction)  240 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing    .     .  241 


Total 


[48! 


814 

2,925 

668 

434 
480 

5" 

630 

585 
726 
218 
497 
675 
159 
316 
637 
390 
161 
213 
241 
187 
438 
540 
39i 

1,933 
161 
138 

2,167 

456 

92,281 


3,309 
2,442 

8,775 

2,004 

,302 

,440 

,533 
,890 

,755 
2,178 

654 
1,491 
2,025 

477 

948 

1,911 

1,170 

483 

639 

723 


1,620 


5,799 
483 
414 

6,501 

993 
1,368 

276,843 


DETROIT  — 


6,044 
6,798 
2,332 
1,037 
821 
686 
1,642 
i,773 
2,472 
3,59i 

c 

1,437 

377 

910 

1,781 

1,296 

543 

744 

968 

821 

1,967 

2,832 

2,292 

1,585 
104 
167 
533 

3,347 
628 

1,851 
211,928 


APPENDIX 


185 


A  —  Continued 

INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS 
81° 


LABOR  CHANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER  FULL-YEAR  WORKER 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 
SION 

SEPARA- 
TION 

FLUX 

Continued 

5,795 

",839 

5-49 

5.25 

10.74 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

6,534 

13,332 

8-34 

8.04 

16.38 

Automobile  parts,  mfg.18 

2,527 

4,859 

.81 

1.68 

Coke  and  chemicals,  mfg.9 

I,I3« 

2,168 

1.56 

1.68 

3-24 

Chemicals  and  drugs,  mfg.9 

757 

i,578 

1.89 

1-74 

3-63 

Paints,  mfg.26 

978 

1,664 

1.44 

2.04 

348 

Clothing  and  overalls,  mfg. 

1,765 
i,433 

3,407 
3,206 

3-21 

2.82 

23 

6.66 
5.10 

Furniture  mfg. 
Machine  tools,  mfg. 

2,418 

4,890 

4-23 

4.14 

8-37 

Machine  tools,  mfg.27 

3,584 

7,175 

4-95 

4-95 

9.90 

Steam  engine,  etc.,  mfg. 

384 

776 

i.  80 

1.77 

3-57 

Iron  and  steel  (small  p'ts),  mfg. 

1,167 

2,001 

1.68 

2.34 

4.02 

Heating  devices,  mfg. 

1,642 

3,079 

2.13 

243 

4-56 

Iron  and  steel  castings,  mfg. 

391 

768 

2-37 

2.46 

4-83 

Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 

695 

1,605 

2.88 

2.19 

5-07 

Steel  forgings 

i,7i4 

3,495 

2.79 

2.70 

5-49 

Heating  devices,  mfg.9 

i,  066 

2,362 

3-33 

2.73 

6.06 

Steel  castings 

567 

I,  IIO 

3.36 

3.51 

6.87 

Structural  steel,  mfg. 

744 

1,488 

348 

3.48 

6.96 

Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 

899 

1,867 

4.02 

3.72 

7-74 

Steel  forging 

710 

i,53i 

4-38 

3.81 

8.19 

Screw-machine  products,  mfg. 

2,057 

4,024 

4.50 

4-71 

9.21 

Screw-machine  products,  mfg. 

2,712 

5,544 

5-25 

5.01 

10.26 

Machine  appurtenances,  mfg.28 

2,208 

4,5oo 

5.85 

5.64 

11.49 

Machine  appurtenances,  mfg.18 
Public  utilities: 

1,040 
106 

2,625 

2IO 

.81 
.66 

32 

1-35 
1.32 

Gas  mfg. 
Tel.  serv.  (Comm.  dept.) 

141 

308 

1.20 

i.  02 

2.22 

Tel.  serv.  (Clerical  force) 

5io 

1,043 

1.23 

1.17 

2.40 

Tel.  serv.  (Installation) 

3,oi5 

6,362 

1.56 

1.38 

2.94 

Tel.  serv.  (Traffic  dept.) 

633 

I,26l 

1.89 

1.92 

3-8l 

Tel.  serv.  (Construction) 

1,874 

3,725 

4-05 

4.11 

8.16 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing 

207,128 

419,056 

2.31 

2.25 

4.56 

Total 

i86 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 

TABLE 

LABOR  MOBILITY  IN 
1917- 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER  * 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL-  YEAR 
WORKERS 

LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

— 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

Motor  vehicles  and  parts,  mfg.  .  . 
Automobile  parts,  mfg  

MILWAUKEE/ 

242 

243 
244 

245 
246 

247 
248 
249 
250 

251 
252 

253 
254 
255 
256 
257  (58) 
258 
259 
260 
261 
262 

1,665 
1,246 
346 
876 
820 
468 
3,168 
1,275 
638 
4,732 
524 
998 
1,300 
238 
464 
1,181 
542 
540 
1,163 
839 
3,643 

4,995 
3,738 
1,038 
2,628 
2,460 
1,404 
9,504 
3,825 
1,914 
14,196 
i,572 
2,994 
3,900 
714 
1,392 
3,543 
1,626 
1,620 
3,489 
2,517 
10,929 

2,435 
4,157 
470 
5,66o 
790 
950 
6,228 
4,859 
931 
6,374 
704 

2,093 
2,634 
165 
574 
3,050 
1,496 
i,  608 
6,945 
i,7i3 

56,894 

Chemicals,  mfg.10  

Chemicals,  mfg.10  

Textiles,  mfg.10  .  .  . 

Textiles,  mfg.21  

Leather,  mfg  

Rubber  goods,  mfg  

Machinery  (heavy),  mfg  
Machinery  (heavy)  mfg  

Machinery  (heavy),  mfg  
Machinery  (heavy),  mfg.21  .  .  . 
Machinery  (heavy),  mfg  
Heating  devices,  mfg  

Electrical  appliances,  mfg.  .  .  . 
Electrical  appliances,  mfg.29  .  .  . 
Castings,  mfg.29 

Household  metal  ware,  mfg.10       .     . 
Household  metal  ware,  mfg.27       .     . 
Public  utilities:  Gas  mfg  
Street  railways,  etc.30 
Total       

[21] 

26,666 

79,998 

Oil  refinery  

SAN  FRANCISCO 

263* 
264* 
265 
266 
267 
268 
269 
270 
271 
272 
273 
274 
275 
276 

421 
i,259 
i,795 
173 
2,224 
500 

85 

244 
899 
669 
308 
i,i73 
3,424 
1,046 

1,263 
3,777 
5,385 
519 
6,672 
1,500 
255 
732 
2,697 
2,007 
924 

3,519 
10,272 

3,138 

1,141 
3,566 
10,818 
261 
4,912 
860 
138 
435 
1,674 
2,904 
174 
i,254 
8,205 
1,167 

Sugar  refinery  81  

Explosives,  mfg.32  

Machinery,  mfg  u 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg.10    .     . 
Structural  iron  and  steel,  mfg.33    . 
Mercantile,  establishment  "    .      .     . 
Mercantile,  establishment  34    .      .     . 
Mercantile,  establishment  35    .      .     . 
Structural  iron  and  steel,  mfg.      .     . 
Gas  and  electricity  (Main  office)  .      . 
Gas  and  electricity  (Metrop.  Dis.)33  . 
Gas  and  elec.  (Country  Dists.)  33 
Street  railways,  etc  

Total       ....... 

[14] 

14,220 

42,660 

37,509 

APPENDIX 


A  —  Continued 

INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS 
18° 


LABOR  CHANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER  FULL-  YEAR  WORKER 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  01  BUSINESS 

SEPARA- 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

TIONS 

TOTAL 

SION 

TION 

FLUX 

MILWAUKEE/ 

2,748 

5,i83 

1.47 

1.65 

3-12 

Motor  vehicles  and  parts,  mfg. 

3,677 

7,834 

3-33 

2.94 

6.27 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

610 

1,  080 

i-35 

i.77 

3.12 

Chemicals,  mfg.10 

3,742 

9,402 

6-45 

4.26 

10.71 

Chemicals,  mfg.10 

774 

1,564 

.96 

•93 

1.89 

Textiles,  mfg.10 

859 

1,809 

2.04 

1.83 

3-87 

Textiles,  mfg.21 

6,618 

12,846 

1.98 

2.10 

4.08 

Leather,  mfg. 

4,589 

9,448 

3-8i 

3.60 

7.41 

Rubber  goods,  mfg. 

803 

i,734 

1.47 

1.26 

2-73 

Machinery  (heavy),  mfg. 

6,699 

13,073 

i-35 

I.4I 

2.76 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg. 

780 

1,484 

1-35 

1.50 

2.85 

Machinery  (heavy),  mfg. 

2,100 

4,193 

2.10 

2.IO 

4.20 

Machinery  (heavy),  mfg.21 

3,083 

5,717 

2.O4 

2.37 

4.41 

Machinery  (heavy),  mfg. 

219 
450 

384 
1,024 

.69 
1.23 

$ 

1.62 
2.19 

Heating  devices,  mfg. 
Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 

2,932 

5,982 

2.58 

2.49 

5-07 

Electrical  appliances,  mfg.29 

1,470 

2,966 

2.76 

2.70 

5.46 

Castings,  mfg.29 

1,662 

3,270 

2.97 

3.06 

6.03 

Household  metal  ware,  mfg.10 

7,026 

I3,97i 

5-97 

6.03 

I2.OO 

Household  metal  ware,  mfg.27 

I,S6l 

3,274 

2.04 

1.86 

3-90 

Public  utilities:  Gas  mfg. 

3,728 

6,786 

.84    • 

1.02 

1.86 

Str'trys.,etc.30 

56,130 

113,024 

2.13 

2.IO 

4-23 

Total 

BAY  REGION  a 

980 

2,121 

2.70 

2-34 

5-04 

Oil  refinery 

3,on 

6,577 

2.82 

2.40 

5-22 

Sugar  refinery  31 

7,800 

18,618 

6.03 

4-35 

10.38 

Explosives,  mfg.32 

362 

623 

1.50 

2.10 

3-60 

Machinery,  mfg.11 

5,338 
1,022 

10,250 
1,882 

2.22 
I.7I 

2.40 

2.04 

4.62 

3-75 

Agricul.  implements,  mfg.10 
Structural  iron  and  steel,  mfg.33 

121 

259 

1.62 

I.4I 

3-03 

Mercantile,  establishment  ll 

409 

844 

1.77 

1.68 

3-45 

Mercantile,  establishment  34 

1,568 

3,242 

1.86 

1.74 

3-6o 

Mercantile,  establishment  ** 

2,875 

5,779 

4-35 

4.29 

8.64 

Structural  iron  and  steel,  mfg. 

2OI 

375 

•57 

.66 

1.23 

Gas  and  electricity  (Main  ofc.) 

I,6S6 

2,910 

i.  08 

1.41 

2.49 

Gas  and  elec.  (Metr.  Dis.)33 

8,556 

16,761 

2.40 

2.49 

4.89 

Gas  &  el.  (Coun'y  Dists.)  M 

1,239 

2,406 

i.  ii 

i.  20 

2.31 

Street  railways,  etc. 

35,138 

72,647 

2.64 

2.46 

S-io 

Total 

i88  LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


NOTES  TO  TABLE  A 

0  Unless  it  is  otherwise  specified,  the  figures  for  1913-14  refer  to  the  year  ended  June  30,  1914, 
and  the  figures  for  1917-18  refer  to  the  year  ended  May  31,  1918. 

*  Figures  in  parentheses  are  the  1917-18  numbers  of  such  concerns  as  were  reported  in  1917-18 
as  well  as  1913-14. 

t  Each  of  the  two  mills  which  constitute  this  establishment  was  reported  as  a  separate  concern  in 
1917-18. 

a.  This  group  of  plants  reported  in  a  special  article,  "Labor  Turnover  in  Chicago,"  9  Monthly 
Labor  Review,  652-667  (September,  1919). 

b.  This  group  of  plants  reported  in  a  special  article,  "Labor  Turnover  in  Cincinnati,"  8  Monthly 
Labor  Review,  651-668  (March,  1919). 

c.  This  group  of  plants,  together  with  those  in  Detroit,  reported  in  a  special  article,  "Labor  Turn- 
over in  Cleveland  and  Detroit,"  8  Monthly  Labor  Review,  11-30  (January,  1919). 

d.  This  concern  reported  in  detail  in  a  special  article,  "Labor  Turnover  and  Employment  Policies 
of  a  Large  Motor  Vehicle  Manufacturing  Establishment,"  7  Monthly  Labor  Review,  837-855  (October, 
1918). 

e.  The  figures  shown  here  are  based  upon  the  records  of  five  individual  establishments.    They 
were  secured  in  connection  with  another  investigation  carried  on  simultaneously  in  the  cloak  and  suit 
industry  of  Cleveland.    The  results  of  this  investigation  were  published  in  the  Monthly  Labor  Review 
for  August,  1918. 

/.  This  group  of  plants  reported  in  a  special  article,  "Labor  Turnover  in  Milwaukee,"  8  Monthly 
Labor  Review,  999-1016  (April,  1919). 

g.  This  group  of  plants  reported  in  a  special  article, ' '  Labor  Turnover  in  the  San  Francisco  Bay 
Region,"  8  Monthly  Labor  Review,  303-380  (February,  1919)- 

h.  This  concern  reported,  with  another  oil  refinery,  in  detail  in  a  special  article, "  Labor  Policies  and 
Labor  Turnover  in  the  California  Oil  Refining  Industry,"  8  Monthly  Labor  Review,  969-998  (April, 

1919)- 

i.  This  concern  reported  in  detail  in  a  special  article, ' '  Employment  Policies  and  Labor  Mobility 
in  a  California  Sugar  Refinery,"  9  Monthly  Labor  Review,  1802-1824  (December,  1919). 


APPENDIX  189 


1  Calendar  year  1913. 

2  Not  including  special  employees  averaging  181  during  the  year. 

3  Including  student  operators. 

4  For  nine  months'  period  ended  September  30,  1914. 

•  Calendar  year  1915. 

•  Year  ended  November  30,  1914. 

7  Year  ended  October  31,  1915. 

8  Calendar  year  1912. 

•  Year  ended  June  30,  1918. 

10  Six  months'  period  ended  June  30,  1918. 
"  Year  ended  April  30,  1918. 

12  Ten  months'  period  ended  June  30,  1918. 

13  Eight  months'  period  ended  June  30,  1918. 

14  Figures  cover  conductors  and  motormen  only. 
»  Year  ended  March  31,  1918. 

"  Ten  months'  period  ended  May  31,  1918. 

17  Eight  months'  period  ended  May  31,  1918. 

18  Six  months'  period  ended  July  31,  1918. 

«  Period  from  August  20,  1917,  to  July  7,  1918,  inclusive. 

20  Six  months'  period  ended  May  31, 1918. 

21  Seven  months'  period  ended  May  31,  1918. 

22  Nine  months'  period  ended  May  31,  1918. 
28  Year  ended  July  31,  1918. 

24  Year  ended  January  31,  1918. 

26  For  9^6  months  ended  August  12,  1918. 
28  For  8H  months  ended  August  15,  1918. 

27  Eight  months'  period  ended  August  31,  1918. 

28  For  iY<i  months  ended  August  15,  1918. 

29  Six  months  period  ended  August  31,  1918. 

30  Year  ended  August  31,  1918. 

31  Not  including  employees  hired  in  one  department,  which  had  about  125  employees. 
82  Six  months'  period  ended  June  26,  1918. 

33  Year  ended  May  15,  1918. 

34  Year  ended  May  2,  1918. 

*  Year  ended  October  31,  1918. 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 
TYPE  or  SEPARATION  (DISCHARGE,  LAY-OFF,  ENTRY  INTO  MILITARY  SERVICE,  OR 

1913-14   AND 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  or  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER 

NUMBER 

OF 

WORKERS 

NUMBER 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING 

WERE 
DIS- 
CHARGED 

WERE 
LAID 
OFF 

Railroad  shops  
Rubber  footwear  and  auto  tires   .     . 
Shoe  machinery  mfg 

BOSTON 

2 

6 

8 
9 

10 

ii 

12 

13 

14 
15 
16 

17 

2,001 

2,856 
2,549 
1,839 
167 

212 
899 
864 

i,749 
726 

449 
3,060 
8,858 
2,750 

73 
975 
694 
114 

33 
117 

353 
95 
132 
82 

23 
171 
582 
131 

39 

307 
25 

40 
252 

29 
80 

14 

Department  store 

Steam  gauges  and  valves,  mfg.     .     . 
Plumbing  tools,  mfg. 

Brass  valves  and  fittings,  mfg.      .     . 
Paper  products  and  roofing  material 
Paper  boxes  and  shipping  tags,  etc.  . 
Color  printing,  etc.       

Book  mfg  

Public  utilities:  Street  railways     . 
Elevated  railways 
Telephone  service 

Total       

[14] 

28,979 

3,575 

786 

Chewing  gum,  mfg.            .... 

CHICAGO 

18 

19 
20 

21 
22 

23 
26 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 

273 

277 

4,377 
6,592 
1,904 
761 
243 
544 
4,3o6 
415 
3,758 
11,049 

12 

9 
248 
261 
29 
45 
58 
136 
280 
64 
87 
619 

-  82 

21 
1,362 
2,265 
654 

69 
249 

27 
42 

2,090 

Shoe  bottoms,  mfg. 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg.      .     . 
Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 
Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 
Agricultural  implements,  mfg.      .     . 
Structural  steel 

Electrical  supplies,  mfg  
Valves  and  fittings,  mfg  
Iron  wheels  and  castings,  mfg.     . 
Steel  products,  mfg  

Telephone  apparatus,  mfg.      . 
Total       

[12] 

34,499 

1,848 

6,861 

Enpinp.erinp1  snprialHp*;.  mia 

CINCINNATI 

ii 

6<6 

no 

_.  

APPENDIX 


191 


B 

VOLUNTARY  QUITTING)  IN  INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS  AND  SPECIFIED  CITIES, 

1917-18 


OF 

PER  CENT 

DURING  THE  YEAR  WHO 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  DURING 
THE  YEAR  WHO 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

LEFT 

WERE 

WERE 

LEFT 

VOLUN- 

TOTAL 

DIS- 

LAID 

VOLUN- 

TARILY 

CHARGED 

OFF 

TARILY 

BOSTON 

536 

648 

II 

6 

83 

Railroad  shops 

1,826 

2,801 

35 

— 

65 

Rubber  footwear  and  auto  tires 

731 

1,425 

49 

— 

51 

Shoe  machinery,  mfg. 

421 
72 

812 
130 

14 
25 

37 
19 

50 
55 

Department  store 
Steam  gauges  and  valves,  mfg. 

310 

427 

37 

73 

Plumbing  tools,  mfg. 

558 

951 

37 

4 

59 

Brass  valves  and  fittings,  mfg. 

158 

505 

19 

So 

3i 

Paper  products   and   roofing 

877 

1,009 

13 

87 

Paper  boxes  and  shipping  tags 

262 

373 

22 

8 

70 

Color  printing,  etc. 

47 

150 

15 

53 

3i 

Book  mfg. 

241 

412 

42 

59 

Public  utilities:  Street  railw's 

582 

1,164 

50 

— 

5o 

Elev.  railw's 

321 

466 

28 

3 

69 

Teleph.  serv. 

6,942 

n,303 

32 

7 

61 

Total 

CHICAGO 

235 

329 

4 

25 

7i 

Chewing  gum,  mfg. 

176 

206 

4 

10 

86 

Shoe  bottoms,  mfg. 

1,198 
1,589 

2,808 
4,H5 

9 
6 

48 
55 

42 
39 

Agricultural  implem's,  mfg. 
Agricultural  implem's,  mfg. 

309 

992 

3 

66 

3i 

Agricultural  implem's,  mfg. 

733 

778 

6 

— 

94 

Agricultural  implem's,  mfg. 

85 

212 

27 

33 

40 

Structural  steel 

315 

700 

19 

36 

45 

Electrical  supplies,  mfg. 

58i 

888 

32 

3 

65 

Valves  and  fittings,  mfg. 

Soo 

606 

ii 

7 

83 

Iron  wheels  and  castings,  mfg. 

2,968 

3,055 

3 

— 

97 

Steel  products,  mfg. 

13,454 

16,163 

4 

13 

83 

Telephone  apparatus,  mfg. 

22,143 

30,852 

6 

22 

72 

Total 

CINCINNATI 

164 

283 

42 

— 

58 

Engineering  specialties,  mfg. 

192 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

TYPE  OF  SEPARATION  (DISCHARGE,  LAY-OFF,  ENTRY  INTO  MILITARY  SERVICE,  OR 

1913-14  AND 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER 

NUMBER 

OF 

WORKERS 

NUMBER 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING 

WERE 
DIS- 
CHARGED 

WERE 
LAID 
OFF 

Clothing,  mfg  

CLEVELAND 

38 
39 
40 

4i 
42 

1,020 

783 
335 
1,247 
i,  in 

189 

100 

90 

70 

216 

88 
990 

Clothing,  men's,  mfg  

Machine  tools,  mfg  

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg.  ..... 
Machine  tools,  mfg  

Total       .           ... 

[Si 

4,496 

665 

1,078 

Aluminum  and  brass  foundry       .     . 
Motor  car,  mfg 

DETROIT 

43 
44 
45 
46 

47 
48 
49 
50 
5i 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 

397 
2,146 

715 
239 
3,"o 
10,904 
73i 
897 
4,028 
287 
4,484 
1,004 
1,887 
650 

621 

1,317 
829 
209 
1,460 
926 

364 

551 
740 
409 
2,279 

1,051 
729 
42 

1,191 
668 
550 
69 
3,883 
383 
126 

435 

298 
9,325 

14 
27 

Motor  car,  gasoline,  mfg  
Transmissions  and  gears,  mfg.      .     . 
Motor  car,  mfg. 

Motor  car,  mfg  

Motor  car,  mfg  

Motor  car,  mfg  

Motor  car,  mfg  

Motor  car,  mfg  
Automobile  parts,  mfg 

Adding  machines  mfg 

Public  utilities'  gas  mfg. 

Total       

[14] 

31,479 

11,527 

16,969 

Crackers  and  biscuits,  baking       .     . 
Cotton  specialties,  mfg. 

NEW  YORK 

59 
60 
61 
62 
63 
65 
66 
67 

i,  in 

785 
i,438 
624 
3,679 
i,778 
3,622 
19,051 

206 

'58 
356 
73 
33 
525 
1,796 
1,582 

60 

58 
195 
465 

154 
3,910 

Printing  presses,  mfg  

Mail  order  house     

Life  insurance    

Paper  products,  mfg  
Public  utilities:  Street  railways    .     . 
Telephone  service 

Total 

f8l 

32,088 

4,720 

4,842 

APPENDIX 


193 


B  —  Continued 

VOLUNTARY  QUITTING)  IN  INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS  AND  SPECIFIED  CITIES, 
1917-18 

14 


OF 

PER  CENT 

DURING  THE  YEAR  WHO 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  DURING 
THE  YEAR  WHO 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

LEFT 

WERE 

WERE 

LEFT 

VOLUN- 

TOTAL 

DIS- 

LAID 

VOLUN- 

TARILY 

CHARGED 

OFF 

TARILY 

CLEVELAND 

265 

454 

42 



58 

Clothing,  mfg. 

330 

430 

23 

— 

77 

Clothing,  men's,  mfg. 

180 

270* 

33 

— 

67 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

718 

876 

8 

10 

82 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg. 

619 

1,825 

12 

54 

34 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

2,112 

3,855 

17 

28 

55 

Total 

DETROIT 

333 

2,145 

29 

56 

16 

Aluminum  and  brass  foundry 

3,270 

5,255 

25 

13 

62 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

330 

1,709 

49 

32 

19 

Motor  car,  gasoline,  mfg. 

254 

532 

39 

13 

48 

Transmissions  and  gears,  mfg. 

3,286 

8,629 

17 

45 

38 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

5,199 

6,508 

14 

6 

80 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

611 

1,101 

33 

ii 

55 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

425 

1,411 

39 

3i 

30 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

2,iS5 

2,895 

26 

74 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

643 

i,35o 

30 

22 

48 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

1,652 

13,256 

17 

70 

12 

Motor  car,  mfg. 

867 
840 

1,918 
1,583 

55 
46 

I 

45 
53 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 
Adding  machines,  mfg. 

133 

202 

21 

13 

66 

Public  utilities:  gas  mfg. 

19,998 

48,494 

24 

35 

4i 

Total 

NEW  YORK 

129 

i,395 

IS 

4 

81 

Crackers  and  biscuits,  baking 

839 

1,055 

15 

5 

80 

Cotton  specialties,  mfg. 

666 

1,217 

29 

16 

55 

Printing  presses,  mfg. 

398 

936 

50 

8 

43 

Mail  order  house 

233 

266 

12 

— 

88 

Life  insurance 

963 
974 

1,642 
2,770 

32 
65 

9 

59 
35 

Paper  products,  mfg. 
Public  utilities:  Street  railw's 

4,828 

10,320 

15 

38 

47 

Tel.  service 

10,030 

19,601 

24 

25 

51 

Total 

194 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

TYPE  OF  SEPARATION  (DISCHARGE,  LAY-OFF,  ENTRY  INTO  MILITARY  SERVICE,  OR 

1913-14  AND 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  or  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER 

NUMBER 

OF 

WORKERS 

NUMBER 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING 

WERE 
DIS- 
CHARGED 

WERE 
LAID 
OFF 

Rubber  goods  mfg  

OTHER 

68 
69 
70 
72 
73 
75 
76 
78 
79 
81 
82 
83 

5,346 
639 
564 
1,087 
5,034 
971 
2,894 
477 
517 
-10,665 
i,5i6 
4,323 

901 
181 

94 
177 

271 

23 
no 
i,  006 
33 
4,504  l 
297 
850 

806 
95 
452 
765 
574 

12 

399 
458 

220 
103 

Rubber  tires  mfg.        

Sheet  metal  ware,  mfg  

Lighting  apparatus,  mfg  

Automobile  mfg                           •     • 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg.      .     . 
Electrical  apparatus,  mfg.       .     ..... 
Bleaching  and  dyeing         .     .     .•  -'  . 

l^achine  tool  mfg.       .     .     .     .     . 

Total       

[12] 

33,933 

8,447 

3,884 

1  Includes  number 


APPENDIX 


B  —  Continued 

VOLUNTARY  QUITTING)  IN  INIDVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS  AND  SPECIFIED  CITIES, 
1917-18 

14 


OF 

PER  CENT 

DURING  THE  YEAR  WHO 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  DURING 
THE  YEAR  WHO 

INDUSTRY  OK  NATURE  or  BUSINESS 

LEFT 

WERE 

WERE 

LEFT 

VOLUN- 

TOTAL 

DIS- 

LAID 

VOLUN- 

TARILY 

CHARGED 

OFF 

TARILY 

CITIES 

6,363 

8,070 

II 

10 

79 

Rubber  goods,  mfg. 

752 

1,028 

18 

9 

73 

Rubber  tires,  mfg. 

526 

1,072 

9 

42 

49 

Sheet  metal  ware,  mfg. 

121 

1,063 

17 

72 

ii 

Lighting  apparatus,  mfg. 

2,6o6 

3,45i 

8 

17 

76 

Cash  registers,  mfg. 

270 

293 

8 

92 

Insurance 

826 

948 

12 

I 

87 

Typewriters,  mfg. 

2,019 

3i424 

29 

12 

59 

Automobile,  mfg. 

356 

847 

4 

54 

42 

Agricul.  implements,  mfg. 

12,244 
783 

16,748 
1,300 

27 
23 

17 

73 
60 

Electrical  apparatus,  mfg. 
Bleaching  and  dyeing 

2,322 

3,275 

26 

3 

7i 

Machine  tool,  mfg. 

29,188 

4i,5i9 

20 

9 

70 

Total 

laid  off. 


i96 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

TYPE  or  SEPARATION  (DISCHARGE,  LAY-OFF,  ENTRY  INTO  MILITARY  SERVICE,  OR 

1913-14  AND 

1917- 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

ESTAB- 
LISH- 
MENT 

NUMBER 

NUMBER 

OF 

WORKERS 

NUMBER 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  DURING 

WERE 
DIS- 
CHARGED 

WERE 
LAID 
OFF 

ENTERED 
MILITARY 
SERVICE 

Printing  presses,  mfg.      .     .     . 
Agricultural  implem'ts,  mfg. 
Agricultural  implem'ts,  mfg. 
Machinery  (coal  mining),  mfg.  . 
Mail  order  house  

CHICAGO 

104 
105 
106 
107 
no 

112 

H3 
114 

"5 
116 
117 
118 
119 
1  20 

121 

122 
124 
125 
126 
127 
128 

~M~ 

764 
4,211 

5,759 
611 
1,042 
5,092 
402 
283 
390 
667 
733 
950 
520 
1,099 
258 
4,728 
13,604 
3,909 
8,730 
14,320 
5,219 

12 
211 

48l 
13 
151 
558 
42 
12 
48 
431 
329 

353 
83 
340 
171 
500 
2,191 
1,109 
7,925 
7,372 
2,644 

60 

226 
596 
199 

3,441 
8 

112 

48 

35 
358 
1,718 

659 

2,064 
1,292 

45 
224 

387 
61 
162 
322 

12 

34 
44 
84 
116 
108 

94 
2^0 
60 
1,064 
903 
524 
484 
612 

6,094 

Mail  order  hous?   

Structural  steel,  mfg.        .     .     . 
Brass  and  metal  specialties,  mfg. 
Iron  wheels  and  castings,  mfg.    . 
Office  appliances,  mfg.      .     .     . 
Electrical  supplies,  mfg.   .      .     . 
Iron  castings,  mfg  
Screw  machine  products,  mfg.    . 
Steel  forgings,  mfg. 

Electrical  supplies,  mfg.  .     .     . 
Public  utilities:  Electricity    .     . 
Telephone  serv  . 
Street  railways  . 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing  . 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing  . 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing  . 
Total 

73,291 

24,976 

10,816 

APPENDIX 


197 


B  —  Continued 

VOLUNTARY  QUITTING)  IN  INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS  AND  SPECIFIED  CITIES, 
1917-18 

18 


or 

PER  CENT 

THE  YEAR  WHO 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  DURING  THE 
YEAR  WHO 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  o* 

BUSINESS 

LEFT 

WERE 

WERE 

ENTERED 

LEFT 

VOLUN- 

TOTAL 

DIS- 

LAID 

MILITARY 

VOLUN- 

TARILY 

CHARGED 

OFF 

SERVICE 

TARILY 

CHICAGO 

354 

471 

2 

13 

10 

75 

Printing  presses,  mfg. 

2,301 

2,962 

7 

7 

8 

78 

Agricul.  implem'ts,  mfg. 

3,265 

4,729 

10 

13 

8 

69 

Agricul.  implem'ts,  mfg. 

491 

764 

2 

26 

8 

64 

Mach'ry  (coal  min'g)>  mfg. 

1,019 

1,332 

II 

— 

12 

77 

Mail  order  house 

8,012 

12,333 

4 

29 

3 

64 

Mail  order  house 

316 

370 

ii 

3 

85 

Structural  steel,  mfg. 

490 

536 

2 

— 

6 

92 

Brass  and  metal  spec's,  mfg. 

758 

858 

6 

i 

5 

88 

Iron  wheels  &  cast'gs.  mfg. 

i,i97 

1,712 

25 

— 

5 

70 

Office  appliances,  mfg. 

1,408 

1,965 

17 

6 

6 

Electrical  supplies,  mfg. 

2,306 

2,767 

13 

— 

4 

83 

Iron  castings,  mfg. 

1,504 

1,681 

5 

— 

6 

89 

Screw  mach.  products,  mfg. 

2,096 
602 

2,734 
868 

12 
2O 

2 

4 

9 

7 

77 
69 

Steel  forgings,  mfg. 
Electrical  supplies,  mfg. 

4,3" 

6,234 

8 

6 

17 

69 

Public  utilities:  Electricity 

6,642 

n,454 

19 

15 

8 

58 

Tel.  serv. 

2,176 

3,809 

29 

14 

57 

Street  rys. 

6,994 

16,062 

49 

4 

3 

44 

Slaugh'g  and  meat  packing 

17,842 

27,890 

27 

7 

2 

64 

Slaugh'g  and  meat  packing 

12,978 

17,418 

7 

3 

75 

Slaugh'g  and  meat  packing 

77,063 

118,949 

21 

9 

5 

65 

Total 

198 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

TYPE  OF  SEPARATION  {DISCHARGE,  LAY-OFF,  ENTRY  INTO  MILITARY  SERVICE,  OR 

1913-14  AND 
1917- 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OP  BUSINESS 

ESTAB- 
LISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER 

NUMBER 

OF 

WORKERS 

NUMBER 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  DURING 

WERE 
DIS- 
CHARGED 

WERE 
LAID 
OFF 

ENTERED 
MILITARY 
SERVICE 

Textile  (cotton)  mfg  
Millwork  (building  material) 
Machine  tools  mfg 

CINCINNATI 

133 
134 
137 
138 
139 
140 
141 
142 
144 

147 
148 

150 
151 
152 
154 
155 

330 
275 
127 
602 
669 
407 
883 
602 
1,194 
418 
440 
244 
767 
617 
1,769 
1,330 

15 
26 

17 
76 
107 

85 
116 

193 
261 
228 
98 

2 
24 
64 

74 
128 

IO 

ii 

18 

I 

40 

10 

30 
7 
no 

80 

21 

no 

64 
130 
76 

9 

35 
105 

64 

77 

Machine  tools,  mfg  
Machinery  specialties,  mfg.  .     . 
Machinery  .nfg  
Machine  tools,  mfg  

Machine  tools,  mfg  
Machine  tools  mfg 

Office  appliances,  mfg.      .     .     . 
Foundry  (stoves  and  furnaces)    . 
Printing  and  publishing  (books)  . 
Printing  and  publishing  (misc.)  . 
Printing  and  publishing    .     .     . 
Telephone  service        .     .     . 
Trainmen,  street  railways 

Total     

[16] 

10,674 

i,5i4 

80 

970 

Automobile  and  motor  truck  mfg. 
Automobile  and  motor  truck  mfg. 
Automobile  and  motor  truck  mfg. 
Tractor  mfg 

CLEVELAND 

156 
157 
158 
160 
163 
164 
166 
173 

I7I 
176 

178 
179 
182 
184 
191 
192 
193 

4,456 
1,417 
2,173 
384 
267 
1,987 
1,610 
940 
870 
917 
699 
590 
1,649 
709 

IO2 
1,368 
1,267 

156 
1  88 

1,095 
200 
So 
429 
763 
58 
573 
ii 
96 
84 
275 
206 

23 
353 
20 

22 
6 
470 
664 

406 

IS 
288 
26 

18 

118 

45 

i 
513 

529 
66 

274 
158 
20 

3i5 
57 
166 
123 
42 
79 
45 

200 

156 

9 

2 

147 

Paint  and  varnish  mfg.    .     .     . 
Storage  batteries,  mfg.     .     .     . 
Storage  batteries,    carbon  prod. 
Machinery  (heavy)  mfg.  .     .     . 
Motors,  mfg  

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg.       .     .     . 
Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg.       .     .     . 
Sewing  machines,  mfg. 
Oil  stoves  mfg                       .     . 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg.       .      .     . 
Telephone  service  (Clerical)  .     . 
Telephone  service  (Operation)     . 
Telephone  service  (Plant)      .     . 

Total 

[i7l 

21,405 

4,58o 

2,592 

2,388 

» Less  than  H 


APPENDIX 


199 


B  —  Continued 

VOLUNTARY  QUITTING)  IN  INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS  AND  SPECIFIED  CITIES, 

1917-18 

18 


OF 

PER  CENT 

THE  YEAR  WHO 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  DURING  THE 
YEAR  WHO 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF 

RTTCTWTTGC 

LEFT 

WERE 

WERE 

ENTERED 

LEFT 

VtMUHKIM 

VOLUN- 

TOTAL 

DIS- 

LAID 

MILITARY 

VOLUN- 

TARILY 

CHARGED 

OFF 

SERVICE 

TARILY 

CINCINNATI 

344 

369 

4 

__ 

3 

93 

Textile  (cotton)  mfg. 

649 

705 

4 

— 

4 

93 

Millwork  (building  mat'l) 

49 

73 

23 

— 

10 

67 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

406 

592 

13 

— 

18 

69 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

673 

860 

12 

— 

9 

79 

Machinery  specialties,  mfg. 

461 

567 

IS 

— 

4 

81 

Machinery  mfg. 

930 

1,166 

IO 

(l) 

9 

80 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

723 

980 

2O 

— 

6 

74 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

i,S9i 

1,982 

13 

— 

7 

80 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

588 

9°3 

25 

I 

8 

65 

Dffice  appliances,  mfg. 

960 

1,109 

9 

2 

3 

86 

Foundry  (stoves  and  furn's) 

98 

119 

2 

I 

15 

82 

Prin'g  and  pub'g  (books) 

752 
2,059 

811 
2,228 

3 
3 



4 
5 

93 
92 

Prin'g  andpublish'g  (misc.) 
Printing  and  publishing 

536 

714 

IO 

6 

9 

75 

Telephone  service 

642 

847 

15 

— 

9 

76 

Trainmen,  street  railw's 

11,461 

14,025 

ii 

i 

7 

82 

Total 

CLEVELAND 

2,171 

2,878 

5 

i 

18 

75 

Auto.  &  motor  truck  mfg. 

2,663 

2,923 

6 

i 

2 

9i 

Auto.  &  motor  truck  mfg. 

4,450 

6,289 

17 

7 

4 

7i 

Auto.  &  motor  truck  mfg. 

5i8 

i,540 

13 

43 

10 

34 

Tractor  mfg. 

478 

548 

9 

4 

87 

Paint  and  varnish  mfg. 

4,439 

5,589 

8 

7 

6 

79 

Storage  batteries,  mfg. 

4,969 

5,789 

13 

— 

i 

86 

Storage  batteries,  etc. 

2,154 

2,393 

2 

i 

7 

90 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg. 

2,250 

3,234 

18 

9 

4 

70 

Motors,  mfg. 

1,307 

i,386 

i 

2 

3 

94 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg. 

1,327 

1,520 

6 

I 

5 

87 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg. 

1,161 

1,290 

7 



3 

90 

Sewing  machines,  mfg 

4,488 

5,081 

5 

2 

4 

88 

Oil  stoves,  mfg. 

1,927 

2,334 

9 

2 

7 

83 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg 

108 

140 

16 



6 

77 

Tel.  service  (Clerical) 

1,906 

2,262 

16 

1 

i 

84 

Tel.  serv.  (Operation) 

2,209 

2,889 

i 

18 

5 

76 

Tel.  s  rv.  (Plant) 

38,525 

48,085 

10 

5 

5 

80 

Total 

of  i  per  cent. 


20O 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

TYPE  OF  SEPARATION  (DISCHARGE,  LAY-OFF,  ENTRY  INTO  MILITARY  SERVICE,  OR 

1913-14  AND 

1917- 


NUMBER 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

ESTAB- 
LISH- 
MENT 

NUMBER 

OF 

EMPLC 

YEES  LEAV 

^G  DURING 

NUMBER 

WORKERS 

WERE 
DIS- 
CHARGED 

WERE 
LAID 
OFF 

ENTERED 
MILITARY 
SERVICE 

DETROIT 

Automobile  mfg  

194 

31,950 

169 

no 

3,122 

Automobile  parts,  mfg  
Automobile  mfg  
Automobile  parts,  mfg.    . 
Automobile  parts,  mfg.    .     .     . 
Automobile  mfg 

195 

200 

202 
203 
2O4 

783 
9,869 

i,944 
114 
135 

116 

4,886 

965 
1  20 

C2 

306 
2,085 
1,879 

260 

63 
2,304 
362 
30 

42 

Automobile  mfg  

2O5 

11,125 

C.IIC 

3,799 

2,727 

Automobile  mfg.         .... 

2O9 

121 

148 

32 

64 

Automobile  parts,  mfg.    .     .     . 
Automobile  parts,  mfg.    .     .     . 
Chemicals  and  drug  mfg. 
Clothing  and  overalls,  mfg.   . 
Machine  tools,  mfg  
Iron  and  steel  (small  parts),  mfg. 
Steel  forgings  mfg 

210 
211 
214 

216 

218 

221 
22^ 

314 
1,103 

668 
480 
630 
218 
316 

88 
747 

112 

55 
"3 
18 

IO2 

52 
242 

2<O 

28 
317 
95 
25 
130 

22 
e-t 

Steel  castings,  mfg  
Structural  steel  mfg  
Steel  forgings,  mfg. 

227 
228 

23O 

390 
161 

241 

63 

43 
137 

24 
27 

67 
15 

68 

Screw  machine  products,  mfg.    . 
Public  utilities: 
Gas  mfg.       

232 
231? 

438 

I,Q23 

168 

04. 



84 

I  7'7 

Telephone  serv.  (Comm.  dept.) 
Telephone  service  (Clerical)    . 
Telephone  service  (Installation) 
Telephone  service  (Traffic) 
Telephone  serv.  (Construction) 
Slaughtering  and  meat  packing  . 

236 
237 
238 
239 
24O 
241 

161 
138 
43i 
2,167 

33i 
456 

IS 
13 

66 

548 
5i 
365 

3 
20 

37 
4 
26 

20 

13 
89 

106' 

45 

Total     

[26] 

66,617 

14.,  360 

o.i  t>6 

10  028 

» Less  than 


APPENDIX 


2OI 


B  —  Continued 

VOLUNTARY  QUITTING)  IN  INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS  AND  SPECIFIED  CITIES, 
1917-18 

18 


OF 

PER  CENT 

THE  YEAR  WHO 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  DURING  THE 
YEAR  WHO 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  or 

BUSINESS 

LEFT 

WERE 

WERE 

ENTERED 

LEFT 

VOLUN- 

TOTAL 

DIS- 

LAID 

MILITARY 

VOLUN- 

TARILY 

CHARGED 

Off 

SERVICE 

TARILY 

DETROIT 

11,230 

14,631 

I 

I 

21 

77 

Automobile  mfg. 

1,368 

2,123 

5 

14 

3 

77 

Automobile  parts,  mfg 

20,916 

30,191 

16 

7 

8 

69 

Automobile  mfg. 

3,58i 

6,787 

14 

28 

5 

53 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

273 

423 

28 

— 

7 

65 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

183 

537 

10 

48 

8 

34 

Automobile  mfg. 

34,i67 

45,8o8 

IT 

8 

6 

75 

Automobile  mfg. 

369 

613 

24 

5 

10 

60 

Automobile  mfg. 

1,512 

i,  680 

5 

3 

2 

90 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

4,489 

5,795 

13 

4 

5 

77 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

924 

1,131 

10 

8 

82 

Chemicals  and  drug  mfg. 

898 

978 

6 

— 

3 

92 

Clothing  &  overalls,  mfg. 

1,190 

i,433 

8 

— 

9 

83 

Machine  tools,  mfg 

344 

384 

5 

— 

6 

90 

Iron  &  st'l(sm'l  p'ts.),  mfg. 

290 

695 

15 

36 

8 

42 

Steel  forgings,  mfg. 

912 

1,066 

6 

2 

6 

86 

Steel  castings,  mfg. 

482 

567 

8 

5 

3 

85 

Structural  steel  mfg. 

694 

899 

IS 

8 

77 

Steel  forgings,  mfg. 

1,805 

2,057 

8 

— 

4 

88 

Screw  mach.  products,  mfg. 

Public  utilities: 

809 

1,040 

9 

— 

13 

78 

Gas  mfg. 

68 

106 

14 

3 

19 

64 

Tel.  serv.  (Comm.  dept.) 

95 

141 

9 

14 

9 

67 

Tel.  serv.  (Clerical) 

3i8 

5io 

13 

7 

17 

62 

Tel.  serv.  (Installation) 

2,463 

3,oi5 

18 

0) 

82 

Tel.  serv.  (Traffic) 

453 

633 

8 

4 

17 

7i 

Tel.  serv.  (Construction) 

1,464 

1,874 

19 

2 

78 

Slaugh'g  and  m't  pack  ng 

91,564 

125,117 

ii 

7 

8 

73 

Total 

of  i  per  cent. 


202 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

TYPE  OF  SEPARATION  (DISCHARGE,  LAY-OFF,  ENTRY  INTO  MILITARY  SERVICE,  OR 

1913-14  AND 

1917- 


INDUSTRY  OK  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

ESTAB- 
LISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER 

NUMBER 

OF 

WORKERS 

NUMBER 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  DURING 

WERE 
DIS- 
CHARGED 

WERE 
LAID 
OFF 

ENTERED 
MILITARY 
SERVICE 

Motor  vehicles  and  parts,  mfg.  . 
Automobile  parts,  mfg.  .  .  . 
Chemicals,  mfg.  .... 

MILWAUKEE 

242 
243 
244 
245 
246 

247 
248 

249 
250 

251 
252 

253 
254 
255 
256 

257 
258 
259 
262 

1,665 
1,246 
346 
876 
820 
468 
3,168 

1,275 
638 
4,732 
524 
998 
1,300 
238 
464 
1,181 
542 
540 
3,643 

216 
362 
14 
250 
60 
134 
604 
298 
123 
431 
62 

202 

116 

105 
270 
120 
90 
460 

170 
323 

350 

22 

30 

22 
8 

6 

48 
28 
80 

55 

280 
233 
52 
318 

26 
224 
216 

63 

453 
56 
140 
146 

22 

,g 

10 
60 
350 

Chemicals,  mfg  

Textiles,  mfg  

Textiles,  mfg.  . 

Leather  mfg  

Rubber  goods  mfg 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg.  .  .  . 
Machinery  (heavy)  mfg.  .  .  . 
Machinery  (heavy)  mfg.  .  .  . 
Machinery  (heavy)  mfg.  .  .  . 
Machinery  (heavy)  mfg.  .  .  . 
Heating  devices  
Electrical  appliances,  mfg.  .  . 
Electrical  appliances,  mfg.  .  . 
Castings  mfg 

Household  metal  ware  mfg.  .     . 
Public  utilities:  Street  railw's,  etc. 
Total     

[19] 

24,664 

3,917 

1,142 

2,842 

SAN  FRANCISCO 

265 
267 
268 
269 
270 
271 

273 
274 

275 

i,795 
2,224 
500 

85 

244 

899 

308 
i,i73 
3,424 

812 

436 

IOO 

24 
42 
62 

28 
26 

2,044 

250 
14 
86 

43i 

52 
i,35o 
3,864 

318 
372 
71 
2O 

18 

27 
128 

1,278 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg.    . 
Structural  iron  and  steel,  mfg.    . 
Mercantile  establishment 
Mercantile  establishment      .     . 
Mercantile  establishment      .     . 
Public  utilities: 
Gas  and  elec.  (Main  office) 
Gas  and  elec.  (Metro,  district) 
Gas  and  elec.  (Country  dist.)  . 
Total           .           ... 

[9] 

10,652 

6,047 

i  Less  than  J£ 


APPENDIX 


203 


B  —  Concluded 

VOLUNTARY  QUITTING)  IN  INDIVIDUAL  ESTABLISHMENTS  AND  SPECIFIED  CITIES, 
1917-18 

18 


OF 

PER  CENT 

THE  YEAR  WHO 

EMPLOYEES  LEAVING  DURING  THE 
YEAR  WHO 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATTTRI  or 

JBUSXNESS 

LEFT 

WERE 

WERE 

ENTERED 

LEFT 

VOLUN- 

TOTAL 

DIS- 

LAID 

MILITARY 

VOLUN- 

TARILY 

CHARGED 

OFF 

SERVICE 

TARILY 

MILWAUKEE 

2,082 

2,746 

8 

6 

IO 

70 

Motor  vehic's  &  p'ts,  mfg. 

2,759 

3,677 

IO 

9 

6 

75 

Automobile  parts,  mfg. 

544 

610 

2 

9 

89 

Chemicals,  mfg. 

2,824 

3,742 

7 

9 

8 

75 

Chemicals,  mfg. 

692 

774 

8 

3 

— 

89 

Textiles,  mfg. 

699 

859 

16 

3 

81 

Textiles,  mfg. 

6,618 

9 

IQ 

3 

87 

Leather  mfg. 

4,'o53 

4,589 

6 

:o 

5 

88 

Leather  goods,  mfg. 

609 

803 

15 

i 

8 

76 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg. 

5,8i5 

6,699 

6 

— 

7 

87 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg. 

'662 

780 

8 

— 

7 

85 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg. 

1,758 

2,100 

IO 

— 

7 

85 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg. 

2,815 

3,083 

4 

0) 

5 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg. 

197 
332 

219 
45o 

23 

10 

90 
74 

Heating  devices 
Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 

2,434 

2,932 

9 

2 

6 

83 

Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 

1,470 

8 

2 

i 

90 

Castings,  mfg. 

1,432 

1,662 

5 

5 

4 

86 

Household  metal  ware  mfg. 

3,728 

12 

I 

77 

Pub.  utilities  :  Str't  rys.,  etc. 

39,642 

47,543 

8 

2 

6 

83 

Total 

BAY  REGION 

6,670 

7,800 

10 



4 

86 

Explosives,  mfg. 

4,530 

5,338 

8 



7 

85 

Agricul.  implements,  mfg. 

601 

1,022 

IO 

25 

7 

59 

Struc.  iron  and  steel,  mfg. 

63 

121 

20 

12 

16 

52 

Mercantile  establishment 

263 

409 

IO 

21 

4 

64 

Mercantile  establishment 

1,075 

1,568 

4 

27 

69 

Mercantile  establishment 

Public  utilities: 

94 

201 

14 

26 

13 

47 

Gas  &  elec.  (Main  off.) 

152 

1,656 

2 

82 

8 

9 

Gas  &  elec.  (Metr.  dis.) 

3,854 

8,556 

6 

45 

4 

Gas  &  elec.  (C'n'y  dis.) 

17,302 

26,671 

8 

23 

5 

65 

Total 

of  i  per  cent. 


204 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

NUMBER  AND  PER  CENT  OF  EMPLOYEES  IN  THE  UNSTABLE  PART  OF  THE  WORKING 
ACCESSIONS,  SEPARATIONS,  AND  FLUX,  IN  INDIVIDUAL 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  o?  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER 

TOTAL 
WORKING 
FORCE 

NUMBER 
IN  CON- 
TINUOUS 
SERVICE 
OVER  ONE 
YEAR 

UNSTABLE 

NUMBER 

Clothing  men's,  mfg  

CHICAGO 

103 
104 
105 
106 
107 
no 
114 
116 
124 

6,027 
764 
4,211 

5,759 
611 
1,042 
283 
667 
13,604 

3,871 
594 
3,596 
3,890 
356 
665 
108 

239 
10,905 

2,156 
170 

6l5 
1,869 

255 
367 
175 
428 
2,699 

Printing  presses,  mfg  

Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 
Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 
Machinery  (coal  mining),  mfg. 
Mail  order  house     
Brass  and  metal  specialties,  mfg. 
Office  appliances,  mfg  
Public  utilities:  Telephone  service     . 

Total       ....... 

Motor  vehicles  and  parts,  mfg.     .     . 
Machinery  (heavy)  mfg  
Public  utilities:  Street  railways,  etc.  , 

Total       

I9l 

32,968 

24,224 

8,744 

MILWAUKEE 

242 
250 
262 

1,665 
638 
3,643 

819 
392 
2,300 

846 
246 
i,343 

[3] 

5,946 

3,5" 

2,435 

Automobile  and  motor  truck  mfg.     . 
Automobile  and  motor  truck  mfg. 
Street  railway  cars,  mfg  
Storage  batt's  and  carbon  prod's  mfg. 
Woodwork,  sewing  mach.  cabinets,  etc. 
M^achine  tools  mfg 

CLEVELAND 

156 
158 
159 
166 
169 
172 

173 
176 
179 
180 
183 
191 
192 
193 

4,456 
2,173 
344 
1,610 

i,5i4 
1,263 
940 
917 
590 
393 
937 

IO2 
1,368 
1,267 

2,795 
298 
123 
757 
964 
592 
448 

a 

194 
401 

44 
914 
372 

1,661 

i,875 

221 
853 

S5o 
671 
492 
312 
214 
199 
536 
58 
454 
895 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg  
Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg  

Sewing  machines,  mfg  
Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 
Malleable  iron  castings,  mfg.  . 
Telephone  service  (Clerical  force) 
Telephone  service  (Oper.  force)    .     . 
Telephone  service  (Plant  dept.)    .     . 

Total       

[14] 

17,874 

8,883 

8,991 

APPENDIX 


205 


FORCE,  NUMBER  IN  CONTINUOUS  SERVICE  OVER  ONE  YEAR  AND  NUMBER  OF 
ESTABLISHMENTS  AND  SPECIFIED  CITIES,  1917-18 


FORCE 

LABOR  CHANGES 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  or  BUSINESS 

PER  CENT 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

TOTAL 

SION 

TION 

(FLUX) 

CHICAGO 

36 

5,731 

7,240 

12,971 

Clothing,  men's,  mfg. 

22 

5io 

471 

981 

Printing  presses,  mfg. 

IS 

2,865 

2,962 

5,827 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 

32 
42 

5,486 
782 

4,729 
764 

10,215 
i,546 

Agricultural  implements,  mfg. 
Machinery  (coal  mining),  mfg. 

t 

1,358 
590 

1,332 
536 

2,690 
1,126 

Mail  order  house 
Brass  and  metal  specialties,  mfg. 

64 

1,879 

1,712 

3,59i 

Office  appliances,  mfg. 

2O 

9,524 

n,454 

20,978 

Public  utilities:  Telephone  service 

27 

28,725 

31,200 

59,925 

Total 

MILWAUKEE 

50 

2,435 

2,748 

5,i83 

Motor  vehicles  and  parts,  mfg. 

39 

931 

803 

i,734 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg. 

37 

3,058 

3,728 

6,786 

Public  utilities:  Street  railways,  etc. 

41 

6,424 

7,279 

13,703 

Total 

CLEVELAND 

37 

3,552 

2,878 

6,430 

Automobile  and  motor  truck  mfg. 

86 

5,179 

6,289 

11,468 

Automobile  and  motor  truck  mfg. 

64 

1,016 

1,038 

2,054 

Street  railway  cars,  mfg. 

S3 
36 

6,036 
3,4io 

5,789 
4,566 

11,825 
7,976 

Storage  batt's  and  carbon  prod's  mfg. 
Woodw'k,  sewing  mach.  cabinets,  etc. 

53 

3,520 

2,556 

6,076 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

52 

2,691 

2,393 

5,084 

Machinery  (heavy)  mfg. 

34 

1,286 

1,386 

2,672 

Metal  wire,  etc.,  mfg. 

36 
Si 

1,281    . 
941 

1,290 
776 

2,57i 
i,7i7 

Sewing  machines,  mfg. 
Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 

57 

3,077 

3,091 

6,168 

Malleable  iron  castings,  mfg. 

57 

132 

140 

272 

Telephone  service  (Clerical  force) 

33 

2,328 

2,262 

4,590 

Telephone  service  (Oper.  force) 

71 

2,200 

2,889 

5,089 

Telephone  service  (Plant  dept.) 

So 

36,649 

37,343 

73,992 

lotal 

206 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE 

NUMBER  AND  PER  CENT  OF  EMPLOYEES  IN  THE  UNSTABLE  PART  OF  THE  WORKING 
ACCESSIONS,  SEPARATIONS,  AND  FLUX,  IN  INDIVIDUAL 


INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  OF  BUSINESS 

ESTABLISH- 
MENT 
NUMBER 

TOTAL 
WORKING 

FORCE 

NUMBER 
IN  CON- 
TINUOUS 
SERVICE 
OVER  ONE 
YEAR 

UNSTABLE 
NUMBER 

DETROIT 

204 
216 

221 
222 
225 
227 
228 
22Q 
235 
236 
237 
238 
240 

135 
480 
218 
497 
316 
390 
161 
213 

i,933 
161 
138 
43* 
33i 

51 
248 
163 
179 
164 
156 
82 

73 
977 
98 
76 

253 
149 

84 
232 
55 
3i8 
152 
234 
79 
140 
956 
63 
62 
178 
182 

Clothing  and  overalls,  mfg.     .     .     . 
Iron  and  steel  (small  parts),  mfg. 
Heating  devices  mfg 

Stee'  forgings  mfg        ..... 

Steel  castings,  mfg  

Structura'  steel,  mfg  

Electrical  appliances,  mfg.      .     .     . 
Public  utilities:  Gas  mfg  
Tel.  serv.  (Com.  dept.) 
Tel.  serv.  (Cler.  force) 
Tel.  serv.  (Installat'n) 
lei.  serv.  (Construc'n) 

Total       

[I3l 

5,404 

2,669 

2,735 

Textiles  (cotton),  mfg  

CINCINNATI 

133 

137 
138 
139 
140 
141 
146 
ISO 
I5i 

330 
127 
602 
669 
407 
883 
1,150 
244 
767 

280 

85 
272 
328 
274 
606 
670 

2OI 
508 

5o 
42 
330 
34i 
133 
277 
480 

43 
259 

Machine  tools  mfg 

Machinery  (specialties),  mfg.       .     . 
^Machinery  mfg                  «... 

I^tachine  tools  mfg                  •     . 

Engineering  specialties,  mfg.  .     .     . 
Printing  and  publishing  (books)  .     . 
Printing  and  publishing  (miscel.) 

Total      

[9l 

5,179 

3,224 

i,955 

SAN  FRANCISCO 

263 
264 
266 
269 

270 

421 
1,259 
173 
85 
244 

158 
420 

71 
42 
119 

263 
839 

102 

43 
125 

Sugar  refinery               

Mercantile  establishment  .... 
Mercantile  establishment  .... 

Total                            .     .     . 

[Si 

2,182 

810 

i,372 

APPENDIX 


207 


C  —  Concluded 

FORCE,  NUMBER  IN  CONTINUOUS  SERVICE  OVER  ONE  YEAR,  AND  NUMBER  OF 
ESTABLISHMENTS  AND  SPECIFIED  CITIES,  1917-18 


FORCE 

LABOR  CHANGES 

PER  CENT 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

TOTAL 

(FLUX) 

INDUSTRY  OR  NATURE  or  BUSINESS 

DETROIT 

62 

477 

537 

1,014 

Automobile  mfg. 

48 
25 

686 
392 

978 
384 

1,664 
776 

Clothing  and  overalls,  mfg. 
Iron  and  steel  (small  parts),  mfg. 

64 

834 

1,167 

2,001 

Heating  devices,  mfg. 

48 

910 

695 

1,605 

Steel  forgings,  mfg. 

60 

1,296 

i,  066 

2,362 

Steel  castings,  mfg. 

49 

543 

567 

1,110 

Structural  steel,  mfg 

66 
49 

744 
i,585 

744 
1,040 

1,488 
2,625 

Electrical  appliances,  mfg. 
Public  utilities:  Gas  mfg. 

39 

104 

106 

2IO 

Tel.  serv.  (Com.  dept) 

45 

167 

141 

308 

Tel.  serv.  (Cler.  force) 

4i 

533 

Sio 

1,043 

Tel.  serv.  (Installat'n) 

55 

628 

633 

I,26l 

Tel.  serv.  (Cons'n) 

5i 

8,899 

8,568 

17,467 

Total 

CINCINNATI 

IS 

354 

369 

723 

Textiles  (cotton),  mfg. 

33 

103 

73 

I76 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

55 

1,020 

980 

2,000 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

Si 

847 

860 

1,707 

Machinery  (specialties),  mfg. 

33 

502 

567 

1,069 

Machinery  mfg. 

3i 

1,363 

1,166 

2,529 

Machine  tools,  mfg. 

42 
18 

2,030 
82 

1,989 
119 

4,019 
201 

Engineering  specialties,  mfg. 
Printing  and  publishing  (books) 

34 

667 

811 

1,478 

Printing  and  publishing  (miscel.) 

38 

6,968 

6,934 

13,902 

Total 

SAN  FRANCISCO 

62 

1,141 

980 

2,121 

Oil  refinery 

67 

3,566 

3,0" 

6,577 

Sugar  refinery 

59 

261 

362 

623 

Machinery  mfg. 

Si 

138 

121 

259 

Mercantile  establishment 

Si 

435 

409 

844 

Mercantile  establishment 

63 

5,54i 

4,883 

10,424 

Total 

208 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE  D 

LABOR  MOBILITY  BY  MONTHS,  FROM  JANUARY,  1910,  TO  DECEMBER,  1919, 

INCLUSIVE 


XT_r»^ 

LABOR  ( 

CHANGES 

YEAR  AND 
MONTH 

.NUMBER 
OF 

FULL- 

TOTAL 
LABOR 
HOURS 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER 

FULL-TTM 

E  WORKER 

YEAR 
WORKERS  » 

(Tnou- 
SANDS) 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 
SION 

SEPARA- 
TION 

TOTAL 

(FLUX) 

IQIO 

January 

9,684 

2,421 

1,025 

1,004 

2,029 

1.26 

1.23 

2.49 

February     . 

8,754 

2,189 

835 

1,024 

1,859 

1.14 

1.41 

2-55 

March   . 

9,630 

2,407 

,573 

,445 

3,018 

i-95 

1.  80 

3-75 

April 

8,832 

2,208 

,558 

,5i8 

3,076 

2.13 

2.07 

4.20 

May       .     . 

8,585 

2,146 

,552 

,346 

2,898 

2.16 

1.89 

4-05 

June      .     . 

9,006 

2,252 

,634 

,271 

2,905 

2.19 

1.68 

3-87 

July       .     . 

10,353 

2,588 

,530 

,555 

3,085 

1.77 

i.  80 

3-57 

August  .     . 

6,937 

1,734 

,141 

,218 

2,359 

1.98 

2.10 

4.08 

September  . 

10,241 

2,560 

,124 

,261 

2,385 

1.32 

1.47 

2.79 

October 

9,042 

2,261 

810 

870 

i,  680 

1.08 

1.14 

2.22 

November  . 

9,717 

2,429 

70S 

844 

1,549 

.87 

1.05 

1.92 

December   . 

8,334 

2,084 

344 

411 

755 

•Si 

.60 

I.  II 

1911 

January 

13,727 

3,432 

699 

839 

i,538 

.60 

.72 

1-32 

February     . 

14,806 

3,7oi 

954 

840 

i,794 

.78 

.69 

i-47 

March   . 

13,770 

3,442 

1,136 

888 

2,024 

•99 

.78 

1-77 

April      .     . 

13,836 

3,459 

1,090 

992 

2,082 

.96 

.87 

1.83 

May 

15,150 

3,788 

1,429 

1,259 

2,688 

1.14 

.99 

2.13 

June      .     . 

13,923 

3,48i 

i,3i3 

1,286 

2,599 

1.  14 

i.  ii 

2.25 

July      .     . 

14,013 

3,503 

1,070 

1,222 

2,292 

•93 

1.05 

1.98 

August  . 

12,786 

3,J96 

1,190 

1,  08  1 

2,271 

i.  ii 

1.02 

2.13 

September  . 

14,015 

3,504 

709 

932 

1,641 

.60 

.81 

.41 

October 

13,840 

3,460 

652 

942 

i,594 

•57 

.81 

•38 

November  . 

14,651 

3,663 

556 

1,026 

1,582 

•45 

.84 

.29 

December   . 

13,049 

3,262 

344 

878 

1,222 

•33 

.81 

.14 

1912 

January 

14,624 

3,656 

736 

884 

1,620 

.60 

.72 

•32 

February     . 

i3,432 

3,358 

75i 

874 

1,625 

.66 

.78 

•44 

March   .     . 

13,346 

3,337 

993 

887 

1,880 

.00 

.81 

•71 

April      .      . 

13,538 

3,384 

1,319 

1,043 

2,362 

•17 

•93 

2.IO 

May       .     . 

15,065 

3,766 

1,385 

1,435 

2,820 

.11 

1.14 

2.25 

June       .     . 

13,778 

3,444 

1,611 

1,049 

2,660 

.41 

.00 

2.31 

July       .     . 

15,127 

3,782 

i,756 

1,400 

3,156 

.38 

i.  ii 

2.49 

August  . 

14,077 

3,519 

1,801 

1,363 

3,164 

•53 

1.17 

2.70 

September  . 

15,832 

3,958 

1,886 

1,362 

3,248 

•44 

1.02 

2.46 

October 

16,307 

4,077 

2,059 

i,395 

3,454 

•S3 

1.02 

2-55 

November  . 
December    . 

19,613 
17,435 

4,903 
4,359 

1,996 
i,585 

1,368 
1,172 

3,364 
2,757 

3 

.84 
.81 

2.07 
1.89 

See  footnote  on  pa^e  211. 


APPENDIX 


209 


TABLE  D  —  Continued 

LABOR  MOBILITY  BY  MONTHS,  FROM  JANUARY,  1910,  TO  DECEMBER,  1919, 

INCLUSIVE 


YEAR  AND 
MONTH 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL- 
YEAR 
WORKERS 

TOTAL 
LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

LABOR  CHANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER  FULL-TIME  WORKER 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 
SION 

SEPARA- 
TION 

TOTAL 
(FLUX) 

19*3 

January 

157,841 

39,460 

24,185 

18,365 

42,550 

1.83 

I.4I 

3.24 

February     . 

156,126 

39,032 

19,737 

17,558 

37,295 

i-53 

1-35 

2.88 

March   .     . 

168,238 

42,059 

23,267 

24,219 

47,486 

1.65 

1.74 

3-39 

April      .     . 

161,965 

40,491 

28,203 

24,731 

52,934 

2.10 

1.83 

3-93 

May      .     . 

166,511 

41,628 

26,101 

25,948 

52,049 

1.89 

1.86 

3-75 

June       .     . 

158,475 

39,6i9 

20,443 

20,483 

40,926 

1.56 

1.56 

3.12 

July       .      . 

159,221 

39,805 

18,451 

20,853 

39,304 

1.38 

1.56 

2.94 

August  . 

167,001 

41,750 

14,847 

17,203 

32,050 

1.08 

1.23 

2.31 

September  . 

I52,3H 

38,078 

13,453 

16,650 

30,103 

1.05 

1.32 

2-37 

October 

157,428 

39,357 

11,607 

13,233 

24,840 

.87 

i.  02 

1.89 

November  . 

I56,452 

39,H3 

9,456 

io,45i 

19,907 

.72 

.81 

i-53 

December   . 

153,208 

38,302 

7,061 

9,048 

16,109 

•54 

.72 

1.26 

1914 

January 

43,125 

10,781 

2,513 

2,126 

4,639 

.69 

.60 

1.29 

February     . 
March   . 

43,342 
42,771 

10,835 
10,693 

2,716 
2,994 

1,886 
2,460 

4,602 
5,454 

•75 
.84 

$ 

1.26 
i-53 

April      .     . 

45,014 

n,253 

2,552 

2,358 

5,405 

.69 

•75 

1.44 

May       .     . 

39,793 

9,948 

2,423 

4,108 

6,53i 

.72 

1.23 

i-95 

June       .     . 

40,867 

10,217 

3,239 

4,i68 

7,407 

.96 

1.23 

2.19 

July      .     . 

39,487 

9,872 

2,93i 

i,975 

4,906 

.90 

.60 

1.50 

August  . 

42,512 

10,628 

3,37i 

3,097 

6,468 

.96 

.87 

1.83 

September  . 

44,116 

11,029 

4,364 

2,323 

6,687 

i.  20 

•63 

1.83 

October 

56,668 

14,167 

3,565 

3,279 

6,844 

•75 

.69 

1.44 

November  . 

58,192 

14,548 

3,ooi 

2,269 

5,270 

•63 

.48 

i.  ii 

December   . 

57,636 

14,409 

3,189 

2,759 

5,948 

.66 

•57 

1.23 

1915 

January 

87,031 

21,758 

4,349 

3,957 

8,306 

.60 

•54 

1.14 

February     . 

86,061 

2i,5i5 

5,199 

4,620 

9,819 

.72 

•63 

1-35 

March   . 

91,589 

22,897 

6,400 

6,096 

12,496 

.84 

.81 

1.65 

April 

86,224 

2i,556 

8,107 

4,868 

12,975 

1.14 

.69 

1.83 

May 

89,519 

22,380 

6,767 

5,227 

11,994 

.90 

.69 

i-59 

June      .     . 

96,801 

24,200 

7,08  1 

4,867 

11,948 

.87 

.60 

1.47 

July       .     . 

93,7i6 

23,429 

6,058 

5,879 

n,937 

•78 

•75 

i-53 

August  .     . 

94,034 

23,508 

6,597 

S,4i9 

12,016 

.84 

.69 

i-53 

September  . 

107,960 

26,990 

13,184 

8,213 

2i,397 

1.47 

.90 

2.37 

October 

99,741 

24,935 

12,061 

6,256 

18,317 

1.44 

•75 

2.19 

November  . 

67,672 

16,918 

n,558 

6,268 

17,826 

2.04 

i.  ii 

3-iS 

December   . 

92,223 

23,056 

11,796 

6,077 

17,873 

1-53 

.78 

2.31 

1  See  footnote  on  page  211, 


2IO 


LABOR  TURNOVER  IN  INDUSTRY 


TABLE  D  —  Continued 

LABOR  MOBILITY  BY  MONTHS,  FROM  JANUARY,  1910,  TO  DECEMBER,  1919, 

INCLUSIVE 


YEAR  AND 
MONTH 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL- 
YEAR 
WORKERS 

TOTAL 
LABOR 
HOURS 
(THOU- 
SANDS) 

LABOR  CHANGES 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER  FULL-TIME  WORKER 

ACCES- 
SIONS 

SEPARA- 
TIONS 

TOTAL 

ACCES- 
SION 

SEPARA- 
TION 

TOTAL 
(FLUX) 

January 

46,885 

11,721 

8,649 

4,994 

13,643 

2.22 

1.29 

3-51 

February     . 

53,541 

13,385 

10,351 

5,632 

15,983 

2.31 

1.26 

3-57 

March    .      . 

56,410 

14,102 

7,348 

6,706 

14,054 

1-56 

1.44 

3.00 

April 

59,237 

14,809 

10,321 

5,737 

16,058 

2.10 

I.I7 

3-27 

May       .      . 

58,143 

14,536 

8,518 

7,091 

15,609 

1.77 

1.47 

3-24 

June       .      . 

58,152 

14,538 

6,730 

9,280 

16,010 

1.38 

1.92 

3-30 

July       .      . 

57,505 

14,376 

5,346 

4,678 

10,024 

I.  II 

•99 

2.10 

August  .     . 

57,866 

14,466 

7,727 

5,733 

13,460 

T-59 

1.20 

2.79 

September  . 

60,549 

15,137 

6,455 

5,087 

n,542 

1.29 

1.02 

2.31 

October 

62,492 

15,623 

6,336 

4,205 

10,541 

1.23 

.81 

2.04 

November  . 

63,408 

15,852 

3,92i 

3,821 

7,742 

•75 

.72 

1.47 

December   . 

64,424 

16,106 

5,499 

3,884 

9,383 

1.02 

.72 

1.74 

1917 

January 

33,675 

8,419 

3,568 

4,439 

8,007 

1.26 

1-59 

2.85 

February     . 

32,260 

8,065 

2,948 

3,368 

6,316 

I.  II 

1.26 

2-37 

March    .      . 

21,211 

5,303 

2,057 

2,099 

4,156 

I.I7 

i.  20 

2-37 

April      .      . 

21,667 

5,417 

2,416 

2,652 

5,o68 

1.47 

2.82 

May       .      . 

28,487 

7,122 

4,871 

4,700 

9,57i 

2.04 

1.98 

4.02 

June       .      . 

32,572 

8,143 

5,449 

4,92i 

10,370 

2.01 

i.  80 

3.8l 

July      .     . 

35,637 

8,909 

5,265 

5,074 

10,339 

1.77 

1.71 

348 

August  . 

37,398 

9,350 

6,661 

6,i37 

12,798 

2.13 

1.08 

4.11 

September  . 

37,723 

9,431 

6,288 

6,022 

12,310 

2.01 

1.92 

3-93 

October 

38,583 

9,646 

6,746 

5,I27 

u,873 

2.IO 

1-59 

3-69 

November  . 

47,401 

11,850 

7,209 

6,076 

13,285 

1.83 

1-53 

3.36 

December    . 

39,994 

9,998 

5,307 

6,488 

n,795 

i-59 

1-95 

3-54 

1918 

January 

37,973 

9,493 

5,86o 

5,238 

11,098 

1.86 

1.65 

3-51 

February     . 

37,oo8 

9,252 

4,952 

5,563 

10,515 

1.62 

i.  80 

3-42 

March    .      . 

37,387 

9,347 

6,636 

6,447 

13,083 

2.13 

2.07 

4.20 

April      .      . 

37,924 

9,48i 

8,322 

7,228 

2.64 

2.28 

4.92 

May 

35,8i9 

8,955 

7,792 

6,256 

14,048 

2.61 

2.10 

4.71 

Tune 

30,319 

7,58o 

5,537 

4,789 

10,326 

2.19 

1.89 

4.08 

July      .     . 

24,446 

6,111 

4,652 

4,024 

8,676 

2.28 

1.98 

4.26 

August  .      . 

23,877 

5,969 

3,953 

4,320 

8,273 

1.98 

2.16 

4.14 

September  . 

21,299 

5,325 

2,954 

2,643 

5,597 

1.65 

1-50 

3-iS 

October 

21,817 

5,454 

2,702 

2,850 

5,552 

1.50 

1.56 

3-o6 

November  . 

28,352 

7,088 

3,878 

2,350 

6,228 

1.65 

.99 

2.64 

December    . 

22,476 

6,619 

2,496 

2,042 

4,538 

1.32 

1.  08 

2.40 

I  See  footnote  on  page  211. 


APPENDIX 


211 


TABLE  D  —  Concluded 

LABOR  MOBILITY  BY  MONTHS,  FROM  JANUARY,  1910,  TO  DECEMBER,  1919, 

INCLUSIVE 


VTT^m^ 

LABOR  ( 

CHANGES 

YEAR  AND 
MONTH 

NUMBER 

OF 

FULL- 

TOTAL 
LABOR 
HOURS 

NUMBER 

RATE  PER 

FULL-TIM 

E  WORKER 

YEAR 
WORKERS  1 

(THOU- 
SANDS) 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

ACCES- 

SEPARA- 

TOTAL 

SIONS 

TIONS 

TOTAL 

SION 

TION 

(FLUX) 

1919 

January 

20,989 

5,247 

2,408 

2,517 

4,925 

1.38 

1.44 

2.82 

February     . 

20,238 

5,059 

,347 

1,890 

3,237 

.81 

I.  II 

1.92 

March    . 

19,591 

4,898 

,119 

1,962 

3,081 

.69 

1.20 

1.89 

April 

18,835 

4,709 

,137 

1,741 

2,878 

.72 

I.  II 

1.83 

May       .      . 

17,128 

4,282 

,096 

1,503 

2,599 

.78 

I.O5 

1.83 

June 

14,233 

3,558 

,002 

2,147 

.84 

.96 

1.  80 

July      .     . 

13,979 

3,495 

1,238 

'822 

2,060 

1.05 

.72 

1.77 

August  . 

5,638 

1,410 

601 

5J6 

1,117 

1.29 

I.  II 

2.40 

September  . 

5,785 

1,446 

710 

478 

1,188 

1.47 

.99 

2.46 

October 

9,502 

2,376 

1,428 

643 

2,071 

1.  80 

.81 

2.61 

November  . 

16,400 

4,100 

I,OOI 

2,514 

i.  ii 

.72 

1.83 

December    . 

10,327 

2,582 

620 

404 

1,024 

.72 

.48 

1.20 

» Calculated  as  follows: 

2,421,000 

3000 

12 


INDEX 


Absenteeism,  records,  167-169. 
Accessions,  8,  56-60;  length  of  service 

and,  56. 

Annual  data,  36. 
Attendance,  as  a  basis  of  computation, 

n,  18. 
Automobile  industry,  turnover  in,  25, 

49,  50-53,  118-121. 
Average  weekly  service  rates,  139-140. 

Base,  in  turnover  computation,  9-11. 

Boston,  turnover  in,  47,  172-173,  190- 
191. 

Broken  time,  effect  of,  on  computa- 
tion, 9-11. 

Business  cycles,  labor  mobility  and, 
34-35,  38. 

Car  building  industry,  labor  mobility 
in,  76-77,  108-109. 

Casual  laborers,  length  of  service  of, 
135-136. 

Causes  of  separation,  92-102;  ambigu- 
ity of  data,  96-97;  difficulty  of  as- 
certaining, 93-96;  in  mercantile  es- 
tablishments, 99-102;  in  metal  trades, 
96. 

Causes  of  turnover,  78-102. 

Chemical  industries  and  refineries, 
length  of  service  in,  118-121;  turn- 
over, 50-53- 

Chicago,  statistics  of  labor  mobility  in, 
47,  172-173,  178-179,  190-191,  196- 
197,  204-205. 

Cincinnati,  turnover  in,  47,  174-175, 
178-181,  190-191,  198-199,  206-207. 

Cities,  turnover  in  different,  47,  172- 
187. 


Cleveland,  turnover  in,  47,  174-175, 
180-183,  192-193,  198-199,  204-205. 

Clothing  industry,  length  of  service  in, 
118-121,  137;  turnover,  49,  50-53. 

Common  labor,  mobility  of,  72-74. 

Computation,  22-26;  changes  suggested, 
15;  relation  between  different  meth- 
ods, 26;  Rochester  method,  9,  12. 

Cyclical  fluctuations,  34-35,  38,  105- 
106. 

Daily  attendance,  as  base  in  computa- 
tion, n,  1 8. 

Definition  of  terms,  8,  21. 

Detroit,  turnover  in,  47,  174-175,  182- 
185,  192-193,  200-201,  206-207. 

Discharge  rates,  effect  of  business  con- 
ditions on,  34-35;  effect  of  war  con- 
ditions on,  84-85. 

Employers,  in  relation  to  labor  sta- 
bility, 3. 

Employment  policies,  29-33. 

Employment  records,  163-169;  need  of, 
30. 

Equivalent  full-time  worker.  See  "Full- 
year  worker." 

"Floaters,"  60,  133-136. 

Flux,  meaning  and  use  of  term,  13,  15. 

Flux  rates,  for  whole  and  for  unstable 
parts  of  work  force,  148-150. 

Force  maintenance.  See  "Replace- 
ment." 

Formula  for  computation,  24. 

"Full-year  worker,"  meaning  of  term, 
15,  18;  relation  to  pay-roll  figures, 
9-1 1. 


213 


214 


INDEX 


Gas  and  electricity  manufacturing, 
turnover  in,  49,  50-53,  118-121. 

Identical  establishments,  changes  in 
turnover  in,  between  war  and  pre-war 
periods,  64-65. 

Industrial  conditions,  effect  on  turn- 
over, 34-35,  38,  105-106;  effect  on 
proportions  of  separations  of  differ- 
ent types,  80-87. 

Industrial  Relations  Association  of 
America,  8. 

Industry  groups,  turnover  in  different, 
49>  5o-53>  118-121;  type  of  separa- 
tion and,  86-89. 

Instability,  causes  of,  78-102;  difficulty 
of  ascertaining  causes,  93-96. 

Job  replacement,  frequency  of,  159-162. 

Labor  change,  meaning  of  term,  12-13; 
rates,  13. 

Labor  changes,  estimated  number,  42- 
43 ;  necessary  and  unnecessary,  43-46. 

Labor  flux.     See  "Flux." 

Labor  hours,  use  of,  in  computation,  n, 
15,  18,  22-24. 

Labor  mobility,  an  establishment  prob- 
lem, 3;  general  extent,  34-60;  in  in- 
dividual establishments,  6 1-7  7;  mean- 
ing of  term,  7. 

Labor  policy,  turnover  and,  29-33. 

Lay-off  rate,  effect  of  business  condi- 
tions on,  34-35;  effect  of  war  condi- 
tions on,  84-90. 

Leather  and  rubber  goods,  turnover  in, 
49,  50-53,  118-121. 

Length  of  service,  statistics  of,  by  in- 
dustries, 118-121;  in  war  and  pre-war 
periods,  117;  of  casual  laborers,  135- 
136;  of  male  and  female  employees, 
123-131;  of  skilled  and  unskilled, 
132,  135-136,  158;  in  men's  clothing 
industry,  137;  record  form  for,  166- 
167;  statistics  of,  115-141. 


Machinery  manufacturing,  turnover  in, 
49,  50-53,  118-121. 

Measurement  of  turnover,  7-28;  stand- 
ard of,  9-11,  21-22. 

Men's  clothing  industry,  length  of  serv- 
ice in,  137. 

Mercantile  establishments,  causes  of 
separations  from,  99-102;  turnover 
in,  49,  50-53. 

Metal  trades,  causes  of  separations,  96; 
turnover  in,  49,  50-53,  118-121. 

Methods  of  computation,  7-28. 

Milwaukee,  turnover  in,  47,  176-177, 
186-187,  202-203,  204-205. 

Mobility  rates,  establishments  classified 
according  to,  63. 

Monthly  data,  104-105,  107,  108-109, 
in,  208-211. 

National  Association  of  Employment 

Managers,  8. 

National  Personnel  Association,  8. 
Necessary  turnover,  extent  of,  43-46.    • 
New  York  City,  turnover  in,  47,  176- 

177,  192-193- 
Night  shift,  turnover  on,  compared  with 

day  shift,  71,  107. 
Normal  work  force.     See  "Standard 

work  force." 

Occupations,  turnover  in  different,  76- 
77,  108-109. 

Padded  pay  rolls,  effect  on  computa- 
tion, 9-11. 

Pay-roll  data,  use  of,  in  turnover  com- 
putation, 9-10. 

"Percentage  of  turnover,"  12. 

Personnel  policy,  and  labor  stability, 

29-33- 

Plant  curtailment,  21,  23. 

Printing  industry,  turnover  of  laborers 
in,  135-136. 

Printing  and  publishing,  turnover  sta- 
tistics, 49,  50-53,  118-121. 


INDEX 


215 


Prosperity  and  depression,  turnover  in, 

34-35,  38,  105-106. 
Public  utilities,  turnover  in,  49,  50-53, 

118-121. 

Quitting  rate,  close  correspondence  of, 
with  total  separation  rate,  81-83. 

Rates,  use  of,  in  reporting  turnover,  12- 

13,  22,  23-24,  26-27. 

Reasons  for  leaving,  92-102;  in  metal 
trades,  96;  in  mercantile  establish- 
ments, 99-102. 

Records,  of  absentees,  168-169;  of 
length  of  service,  166-167;  of  turn- 
over, 164-165. 

Reduction  of  turnover,  29-33. 

Rehirings,  58-59,  101. 

Replacements,  importance  of,  7-8,  13, 

14,  15,  18. 

Responsibility  for  turnover,  of  different 

employee  groups,  154-162. 
Rochester  Conference,  8,  9. 
Rochester  formula,  8,  26. 
Rubber  goods  manufacturing,  turnover 

in,  49,  50-53,  118-121. 

San  Francisco  Bay  region,  turnover  in, 
186-187,  202-203,  206-207. 

Seasonal  fluctuations,  103-114. 

Separation,  types  of,  78-92;  proportion 
of  different  types,  by  industries,  86- 
89;  rate  of,  in  relation  to  skill,  91. 

Separation  rate,  inadequacy  of,  8. 

Sex,  turnover  data  classified  according 
to,  66-69,  I24>  I26,  128-131. 

Size  of  establishment,  turnover  and,  55. 

Skill,  and  stability,  73,  91, 132, 135-136, 
158. 

Slaughtering  and  meat  packing,  turn- 
over in,  49,  50-53,  118-121. 

Stability  of  labor.    See  "Mobility." 

Stabilization  of  work  force,  record  of 
ten  selected  firms,  29-33. 

Stable  and  unstable  employees,  142-153, 


Standard  of  measurement,  9-11,  21-22. 
Standard  work  force,  15,  18. 
Street  railways,  turnover  on,  49,  50-53, 
118-121. 

Telephone  service,  statistics  of  turnover 
in,  50-53,  118-121. 

Textile  manufacturing,  clothing  and, 
50-53,  118-121. 

Transportation.  See  "Street  railways." 

Turnover,  causes  of,  92-102;  meaning 
of,  7-8,  12-15;  among  skilled  and 
unskilled  workers,  73,  91,  132,  135- 
136,  158;  of  males  and  females,  66-69, 
124,  126,  128-131;  by  cities,  47,  172- 
207;  by  industries,  49,  50-53,  118- 
121;  in  mercantile  establishments, 
50-53,  99-102;  seasonal  influences  on, 
103-114;  the  business  cycle  and,  34- 
35,  38,  105-106;  in  identical  plants, 
64-65;  necessary  and  unnecessary, 
44-45;  in  different  occupations,  76- 
77,  108-109;  in  war  and  pre-war 
periods,  47,  51-53;  labor  policy  and, 
29-33;  percentage,  12;  records,  163- 
169;  size  of  plant,  55;  responsibility 
for,  154-162. 

Types  of  separation,  78-92. 

Unemployment,  turnover  and,  2,  3. 

United  States  Bureau  of  Labor  Statis- 
tics, 4-5,  8,  9,  13,  22,  26-27. 

United  States  Commission  on  Industrial 
Relations,  133. 

Unnecessary  turnover,  amount  of,  44- 

45- 
Unskilled  workers,  turnover  among,  73, 

91,  132,  135-136,  158. 

Volume  of  turnover,  34-60. 
Voluntary  quitting,  importance  of,  79. 

Wisconsin  Free  Employment  Office,  133. 
World  War,  labor  mobility  and,  84-90. 


RETURN 


CIRCULATION  DEPARTMENT 

202  Main  Library 


LOAN  PERIOD  1 
HOME  USE 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 

Renewals  and  Recharges  may  be  made  4  days  prior  to  the  due  date. 

Books  may  be  Renewed  by  calling     642-3405. 

DUE  AS  STAMPED  BELOW 


JUN  051996 


RECEIVED 


«  MARU19J8MAR  281996 


siRGULATiQN  DEPT. 


•f 


AT*On 


FORM  NO.  DD6, 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  BERKELEY 

BERKELEY,  CA  94720 

®$ 


LD  21A-50m-9,'58 
(6889slO)476B 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


yr  -}- 

'  ^ 


vp 


BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


